Heavenly Resolve
by Torion
Summary: Celeste often wondered why she was born with such strange abilities and finally receives an answer when she is targeted by Shang Tsung. This sends her on a hectic journey to uncover who she really is, but learning the truth may end her rather than save her, especially when the fates of Earthrealm and Edenia lay in the balance. Contains hints towards Sub-Zero/OC pairing.
1. Unwelcomed Visitor

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for some language and violence.  
**

* * *

She sat on her full-sized bed, repeatedly dragging the soft bristles of her brush through her hair. She hummed a gentle tune as she gazed upon the stars in the fall sky that shown perfectly through the window near her bed. At the moment, Celeste felt at total peace, which she believed she deserved after what occurred in the past several hours.

Earlier, she decided to walk to Garry's Market, a grocery store a few blocks over. Although she saw the dark clouds looming above, Celeste ignored them and neglected her umbrella on the way out of her apartment, which later came back and bit her in the ass. While the weather held up nicely on her way _to_ the store, the trip back home was a different story entirely. Almost as soon as she stepped outside of Garry's, the downpour began. After muttering a profane phrase or two, she sighed and walked through the rain, eventually arriving at her flat completely drenched.

Once inside, Celeste set the groceries down by the front door and headed directly for her bathroom. She stripped, showered, and later emerged wearing a towel, then proceeded to put away the groceries. After that was done, she put on warmer attire, which included a pair of skinny jeans and a sweater, and plopped onto her bed, ultimately deciding to nap until the storm passed.

'_And here I am a couple of hours later. It's a miracle I somehow didn't catch a cold,' _the brunette mentally sighed as she resumed brushing her chestnut locks. However, a few moments later, she heard what sounded like a faint, scratching noise.

'_Hm, it's probably a tree limb rubbing against the window up front or something,_' she thought with a brief pause before she continued brushing her hair. A few seconds later, she heard the sound again, but dismissed it once more. It wasn't until she heard the front door squeak that she became concerned.

Now alert, Celeste slowly stood and quietly placed her brush on the dresser. She walked into her doorway and stole a glance down the hall. Seeing that it appeared clear, she cautiously walked down the hall, taking soft steps on the tan carpet.

Halfway through the hall, Celeste found herself restrained by an arm. She struggled for freedom, tugging at the limb, only for the arm to tighten around her. Just as she was about to scream, a hand clamped itself over her mouth and a knife was at her throat.

"If I were you, I wouldn't do anything stupid. I was only told to bring you back alive, not unscathed," a masculine voice hissed into her ear.

Although she quietly stood still, Celeste's mind was in utter chaos. Here she was, getting kidnapped by some random guy who threatened to use force if she dare moved or screamed.

'_What in hell am I supposed to do?_' she thought in a panic, her forest green eyes flickering about.

Suddenly, an idea popped into her head, forcing her chaotic thoughts aside. She knew she needed to get free if she had any chance to get out of this alive. Sure, getting away from the man would earn her a couple of scrapes and perhaps a stab wound here and there, but it was better than the alternative.

She closed her eyes and willed herself to calm down, realizing her hands were still on the man's arm. She knew _exactly _what to do, even if she _didn't _want to do it. With her eyes still closed, Celeste focused on her hands on the man's arm. She felt a dull, warm current flowing from the man's arm to her hands. After a few moments she felt his grip loosen.

"What in the hell are you doing to me?" the man roared as he swung the knife at the brunette's face. Although his blade made contact and left long cut along her cheek, he missed his intended mark. In a small fit of anger, the man tossed Celeste onto the floor, yet doing so made him feel so _weak_.

Celeste could only brace herself as she fell to the floor, her head coming in contact with the corner of the coffee table on her way down. She cradled her head in her hands but turned her face to look up at her assailant. He wore all black and a mask that concealed his face, save for his eyes. The black material seemed old and worn but there weren't any holes present in the cloth.

The man put a hand to his temple, the dizziness slowly wearing off. He didn't know what the girl did to him, but he now knew why his master wanted her. This girl had some kind of odd ability that apparently would prove useful to him.

The man shook his head, refocusing on the task at hand, and walked slowly towards the girl on the floor. He tightly clutched the knife in his left hand as he growled, "You're going to pay for that, you little bitch."

Just as he was closing in on Celeste, a brilliant flash of light lit up the room. When the light subsided, there stood another man clad in white robes, a blue vest, and a conical straw hat, sparks of lightning sporadically flashing about his person. He stood in front of Celeste and faced the assassin.

Without further ado, he grabbed hold of the man in black and seemingly electrocuted him, sending sparks of electricity flying around them both. He let go of the assassin and looked on as the man fell into a heap on the floor.

Even though she just witnessed someone probably save her life, Celeste felt odd. She was astounded yet also frightened that this man just killed someone _with his bare hands. _What made it even crazier was the fact that he just appeared out of _nowhere_.

"Do not be afraid. I am here to help you," the man spoke gently but with authority, his voice pulling Celeste from her current thoughts.

As he took a small step towards her, he slowly held out his hand to the alarmed brunette, who only stared at him once she managed to pull herself into a sitting position. She noted his eyes glowed bluish-white and failed to spot his pupils. This, combined with what he just did, only added to her current fear of the man.

"You are bleeding. Please allow me to look at your wounds," he stressed, slowly advancing towards her with his hand still stretched out to her.

Celeste only gaped at him as he got closer, until she was hit with a sudden wave of vertigo. Everything in the room then became fuzzy, and the various colors and shapes began blending together, until finally, it all went black.

* * *

**A/N: I'll begin by saying a few things…**

**Firstly, I'd like to thank you all for selecting my story to read. This is my first Mortal Kombat fic, and I'll admit, I'm a bit nervous with it all. I've been out of the fanfiction ring for a while, so to speak. **

**Secondly, this story will take place as an alternative Deadly Alliance timeline. With that said, ****MK1-MK4 and some DA canon still applies in the story, but the timing of certain events has been changed (i.e. in the story, there is no Frost since she's currently frozen where in the game, she wasn't frozen until the end of DA; a canon fact that remains from in-game, Shang Tsung and Quan Chi are allied). Despite this being an alternative universe, there will be no OOC-ness. Everyone remains in-character in the story. Just putting that out there.  
**

****** Thirdly, as stated in the summary, "Heavenly Resolve" will nod toward a Sub-Zero/OC pairing, and while there will be quite a bit of Sub-Zero/OC scenes, it's not the main point of the story. **

******Now, with all of that said, I hope you enjoy "Heavenly Resolve." **

**Until next time.**

**~Torion**

**(P.S. The cover image was my attempt at portraying Celeste.)**


	2. (Welcome To) Arctika

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for some language and violence.  
**

* * *

_Jinkuru sat on his knees looking at the man in the gold chair before him clothed in a silk, black robe with crimson and gold accents. He had long white hair that flowed over his shoulders and white ghastly eyes. The winkles on his face sagged, and his complexion was eerily pale. He had an appearance of a sickly old man, but Jinkuru knew better. This man held immense power and was not afraid to use it._

_"Jinkuru!" he called, gaining the immediate attention of the man seated on the floor. "I have a very important task for you. There exists someone in Earthrealm. A girl. I need you to find her and bring her to me. She is far from ordinary and thus is of interest to me." The man paused for a moment, folding his hands in his lap but keeping his cruel white eyes on the assassin in front of him. _

_"I do not care how you intercept her as so as she is alive. She can have as many cuts and bruises on her as long as she still has a heartbeat when I see her. If you fail to bring her back here alive, you _will _regret it. Is that clear, Jinkuru?" the man asked as he slightly narrowed his eyes._

_"Yes, Master Shang Tsung." Jinkuru bowed to the other man._

_"Good. You are dismissed," the sorcerer announced with a wave of his hand. Jinkuru bowed once more and stood to his feet. He had a girl to hunt._

* * *

Green eyes suddenly snapped open and blinked. It happened again, but she should have known it would sooner or later. The vision was the price of using her power, after all. Oddly enough, it wasn't the fact of having the vision that concerned her, but rather its content.

The man sitting on the floor was the same one in her apartment moments prior. From what she gathered from her vision, he was ordered to capture her for some unknown reason, but the thought of it all tied her stomach in a knot.

'_What kind of shit have I somehow managed to step in?_' she mentally sighed.

It was this moment when Celeste realized that she was not in her bed or even in her own room. Opposed to the bright orange wallpaper in her bedroom, the walls, and pretty much everything else, were white and bland, save for the blue curtains that hung over a window. She tried to sit up to get a better view of her surroundings only for her head to dully throb. Instinctively, she brought a hand to her temple and felt bandages on her right cheek and just above her right brow.

Before she had any time to question her physical state or surroundings any further, the door opened and the second man from her apartment stepped in. He still wore the same attire from when she first met him, and there were still sparks of lightning flashing about his person. Upon seeing him, Celeste tensed. The man must have sensed her unease because his facial features softened as opened his mouth to speak.

"Everything is okay. Don't be frightened," he said soothingly.

"Where am I? Who are you? What's going on?" Celeste blurted out. She hadn't meant for everything to come out at once, but all the same, she was confused and wanted answers.

"I believe it would be best if I first told you my name. I am Raiden," the man replied. "As for other details, I will explain shortly, but first, I think you should meet someone. Do not worry. He will not hurt you. In fact, he was the one to clean and bandage your wounds."

As soon as Raiden finished speaking, another man walked into the room. He wore a blue uniform with silver and black armor and a fur collar. Celeste also noted the blue mask he wore over his face and the medallion he wore around his neck, which looked to have a dragon engraved into it. The man was very tall and muscular, and he seemed to exhale tiny, white puffs of air. She had to admit, this guy intrigued her, but it didn't make his appearance any less menacing. As Celeste continued looking the man over, she failed to realize that he did the same to her, once again taking in her dark hair and fair skin, her forest green eyes, now that they were open, and just her general, overall doll-like appearance.

"This is Sub-Zero. He is the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei and will also look after you until I can get more information on your situation," Raiden announced as Sub-Zero nodded in her direction. Celeste only tried not to laugh.

'_No way in hell is Sub-Zero this guy's actual name. Who in their right mind names their child something like that?_' the brunette thought to herself. Of course, she once again realized that Raiden had yet to tell her where she was and why she was there, and that irritated her.

"Okay, now what _exactly_ is going on and why can't I return home? The guy that came into my apartment is now _dead_. I happen to have a life, which consists of classes that resume in a day and a job that I'm sure they'll promptly _fire_ my ass if I fail to clock in," Celeste stated matter-of-factly, leveling her gaze at Raiden, before adding, "And _where _exactly am I?"

"You are in Arctika, at the Lin Kuei base. I brought you here because leaving you in your home would not have kept you from danger, whereas here, there are many to ensure your safety. Sub-Zero agreed to watch after you while I learn who sent an assassin after you and why. I have an idea but I want to be sure. Secretly, I believe you suspect something, too. Am I right, Celeste?" Raiden responded. The brunette sat there in silence, replaying Raiden's words.

Truthfully, she already knew why someone would want her. She was capable of draining stamina from those around her. It was something she noticed she could do since she was a child. Eventually, if she drained another, she later had a vision of them, as with what happened with Jinkuru. The visions occurred at random and were almost as if she was in their bodies during the whole thing. At first, it scared her and she refused to have contact with anyone, yet over time, she got used to it and stopped being such a recluse but still remained cautious. Despite that, however, it didn't mean she felt like any less of a freak.

'_And I already know who's after me. I think,_' she thought, recalling that her assailant seemed to serve someone named Shang Tsung, but she chose to keep this to herself. She couldn't say anything in risk of Raiden questioning her about it. If she could help it, she would say as little as possible on the matter.

After a moment or two, Celeste refocused on the men in front of her and noticed they were staring directly at her, as if something about her was wrong. Then she remembered that Raiden called her by her name, which she was sure she never told him.

"Excuse me, Raiden, but how do you know my name?" the brunette asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I have known you for quite some time. I can explain if you like," he offered. Celeste nodded after a moment, and he continued.

"You are different than most others here in Earthrealm. There is something inside of you that has partially awakened. You and I both know that you are capable of many extraordinary things, and since I am the protector of Earthrealm, I know you have a strong destiny ahead of you. Perhaps, it was even this occurrence which triggered what I have foreseen," he explained, noting the look of confusion plastered all over the brunette's face, but didn't continue, unsure exactly how much she _needed _to know just _yet_.

Celeste only sat in silence as she tried to process every last of Raiden's words. As much as she wanted to believe that she _was_ normal, there was too much evidence that pointed to the contrary, so she did not question that part of Raiden's statement at least. Instead, she found herself wondering about his claim to be some sort of protector with foresight. Although this prompted yet another question from the brunette, it was Sub-Zero that spoke.

"Raiden, what have you seen?" he asked, his eyes glued to thunder god.

"I think it best to explain in detail once the others are here. It seems that the other warriors will need to be involved if what I believe is about to come to past." Sub-Zero nodded in understanding while Celeste tilted her head, perplexed.

'_Warriors? There's going to be even _more _people involved? Just dandy,' _her mind sighed, but she decided to remain silent for now. She was sure the men were probably tired of her questions.

"Since you are awake and seem to be well," Raiden began as he looked to Celeste, "I will leave you in the care of Sub-Zero, but I will be sure to return in a couple of days." He then nodded to the Lin Kuei warrior and disappeared in a flash of electricity.

Once she recovered from being temporarily blinded by Raiden's departure, Celeste focused her eyes on Sub-Zero. He looked worried, but she knew he had no intention of sharing what was on his mind. She didn't get that friendly, warm vibe from the guy. Of course, she wasn't a complete chatterbox herself, but she could still easily strike up conversation and keep it going. She figured she could at least attempt to break the ice with him and make things less awkward, since she was apparently going to spend a lot of time around him.

"So, Sub-Zero, where are we? Like, where is Arctika?" she asked the man, stealing his attention from the nearby wall. Once his eyes flickered to hers, Celeste made a mental note of how vivid and _blue _they were.

"The frozen landscape of China," he replied.

"_China?_" was all she could manage to squeak out in shock. Sub-Zero nodded. She was no longer in Massachusetts. Hell, she wasn't even in the United States _itself_ anymore.

'_Halfway across the world from home, eh? Well, this just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?'_ she mentally spat as she combed her hair back from her face, deciding to change the topic.

"How long have I been out for?" she asked, still keeping her eyes on Sub-Zero.

"Raiden brought you here nearly seven hours ago, and that is all I can account for," was his response. Celeste sighed, although she was relieved he didn't say she'd been out for _days._

"Okay. Now tell me, how much longer do I have to be in here? I'm guessing everything's bandaged that needed to be, and as far as I can tell, my legs aren't broken so I can walk," she inquired.

"This was only until your wounds were tended to and you regained consciousness. There is somewhere else for you to sleep for the remainder of your time here," he explained to her.

"Ah, and where am I sleeping?" Celeste questioned as she began to move out of the bed.

"My quarters," was the reply. She glanced up at the man with a raised brow. "Not in my _personal _quarters, no. You'll have the guest room." Sub-Zero clarified upon seeing her expression. She exhaled a sigh of relief and stood up, noticing herself clothed in a simple yet thick white robe.

"Erm—"

"We put it over the clothing you arrived in. It was to keep you warm," he said, answering Celeste before she had the chance to ask. "And you may want these." He held out a pair of white, fur-lined boots. The brunette nodded and took them.

Once she managed to put on the boots and make the bed, an action she insisted upon as a small act of gratitude for nursing her wounds, Celeste followed Sub-Zero out of the small white room and down a hallway, which was also white. Eventually, they left the rectangular-shaped building and stepped outside into the sunlight. And snow. Lots of snow. But Celeste realized it wasn't as cold outside as it looked to be. Then again, she grew up in some of the coldest areas of the United States and found that she rather liked the cold.

The two continued walking past house after house, which were all rectangular like the infirmary, until they approached one that seemed bigger than the others, though it still looked as if it kept to traditional Chinese architecture, or at least what she saw of it once from a geography textbook. They walked to the door, which Sub-Zero opened but allowed the brunette to walk in first.

The room she stepped into was large and had wooden floors. The walls were painted dark blue and covered in lamps. There was also a rather large, wooden oval table set amongst three black futons. When Celeste walked further into the room, she saw a dragon statue near a silver archway, leading to another section of the house. Sub-Zero walked past the girl and led her forward into the other area. Past the archway, she saw that there were more lamps and small, full bookshelf. She also noted the two sliding doors, one right ahead of them and the other off to the left, and another archway to the right.

"This room will be the one you use," he said, pointing to the door on the left. "The dining area is that way," he further explained, pointing to the silver archway, "and the bathing area is outside, directly behind the house." The Lin Kuei warrior then added, "I have something I must attend to, but I will return later," before turning away from the brunette. Celeste swore she heard a faint warning in his tone but shrugged it away as she watched him leave.

Once Sub-Zero was gone, she walked up to the sheer, silver door of the guest room and slid it open. She was presented with a small space having a single black futon in the center of the room, a blue and black striped dressing panel near the back, and a couple of lanterns for light. It was very simple, but she liked simple.

After seeing the guest area, she slowly walked to what she gathered was Sub-Zero's room and slid the door far enough to peek inside. His room was pretty much a carbon copy of the guest room, save for a chest and a large shelf full of scrolls. Although curiosity ate at her, Celeste decided that actually stepping foot in the man's room would be a horrible idea, so she slid the door back and returned to the guest area to decide what to do.

Eventually, she gave up and stepped outside, thinking of making snowmen. Even if the idea was a bit childish, it was something to do and she enjoyed making them. However, she soon changed her mind once she noticed all of the men clad in blue surrounding the area. They were all dressed like Sub-Zero, except their clothing wasn't as ornate, and no one else seemed to be in possession of a medallion.

'_I'll assume that these men are the Lin Kuei_,' she concluded in her head. She noted that a few of the men took a brief glance at her but the rest pretty much ignored her. After some odd seconds of standing around like an idiot, she stalked off through the snow, looking for Sub-Zero.

After a good thirty minutes or so passed by, Celeste finally found him sparring with another of the Lin Kuei. She decided not to interrupt him but observe instead. Sides, she had nothing else to do, so why not. She watched as the man threw a punch at Sub-Zero, only for him to block and counter with leg sweep. The other man fell on his back, but managed to successfully dodge a ball of ice that was headed for his face.

"Wait, who has ice?" she whispered to herself but soon saw Sub-Zero forming another ice ball in his hands. Suddenly, the name made complete sense. He had ice powers.

'_Wow. How did I _not _make that connection?_" she mentally sighed, watching the trainee dodge the other ice ball.

The brunette continued observing as the man rolled over and unsheathed a tiny sword as Sub-Zero summoned an ice blade of his own. The two men then circled each other before the man rushed the Grandmaster. He easily blocked the blow and managed to push the man back a couple of feet in one action. The man steadied himself and prepared to swing again but stopped abruptly. Celeste knew the man spotted her and was confused by her presence, but of course, his expression _did_ give everything away.

"Xao! Your attention needs to be here!" She jumped at the sound of Sub-Zero's voice echoing through the air and found herself staring into his brilliant blues once he looked back to find her standing there. The cryomancer shook his head before turning back to the young subordinate in front of him.

"If a girl does this to you in training, I'd hate to see how easily distracted you'll be in actual battle," she heard the cryomancer spat, dismissing the man, and watched as the young warrior sheathed his sword and sulked off of the courtyard. Then she saw that Sub-Zero was now making his way toward her. He didn't seem angry, but she wasn't taking any chances. Once he stood directly in front of her, she bit her lip and looked at him with her green eyes.

"I am _so_ sorry! I honestly didn't mean to disturb you! I only wanted to watch and—"

"There's no need for an apology. It was not your fault that Xao could not keep focus," Sub-Zero reassured the brunette.

Before she could smile at the man, there was a low, rumbling sound, capturing the attention of both Celeste and Sub-Zero. Once she realized she was the source of the noise, the brunette looked down, slightly embarrassed. She didn't know that she was so hungry. She glanced back up to the cryomancer with a nervous smile on her face.

"Follow me," he said, before walking away. Celeste nodded and began following the man, her eyes lingering on him before focusing on the snowy landscape.

'_Perhaps staying here won't be so bad after all_,' she thought as she heard the snow crunching beneath their feet. However, she knew that no matter how many times she repeated those words to herself, it was going to be a long wait before her life would return to normal if it was possible. Although she hated to admit it, deep down the thought made her very anxious.

* * *

**A/N: Chapter 2 complete! For everyone currently confused on Celeste's powers, the next chapter will further explain them. On top of that, there will be a few familiar faces popping in!  
**

**(Many thanks to anyone who left a review on this chapter before it was revised. However, the revisions do not mean this can't be reviewed a second time. Perhaps, I somehow forgot something or made new errors. Though like before, reviews are optional, but if anyone wants to leave one, by all means go for it. ^^)**

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	3. Vision of Disaster

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for some language and violence.  
**

* * *

Celeste sat on the frozen ground underneath a large tree, watching Sub-Zero train the Lin Kuei, as she had been doing every day for the past week. This quickly became a part of her daily routine. She woke up, ate, bathed, watched the Lin Kuei train, ate again, and then slept. It seemed like an effective and semi-entertaining way to spend her time, or at least, it beat sitting around on her futon staring at the wall. Of course, being caught snooping by Sub-Zero could also have something to do with it.

On the third day of being in Arctika, she finally gave into her curious nature. Sure, she already saw the inside of cryomancer's room on the first day, but _he _didn't know that. Ever since spying the scrolls on the shelf and the silver chest near his futon, Celeste became quite intrigued, yet chose to not further investigate. The next day, She also managed to keep herself from going in the room, but she still felt her curiosity boiling up inside of her. However, the day after that, she found she could no longer contain herself. Once she thought he was gone, she walked to his room and placed her hand on the door, but before she could slide it open, she heard someone cleared their throat. Alarmed, she gasped, immediately dropped her hand, and around to see no one other than Sub-Zero himself. Realizing she'd been discovered, Celeste bit her lip then smiled innocently.

"It's impolite to touch other's belongings without permission," he reprimanded, those blue eyes on her.

"I'm sorry. It would seem my curiosity got the best of me. But, in my defense, I _only_ touched the door," she muttered, now looking away with arms crossed.

"It's still rude nonetheless," the cryomancer responded with a shake of his head.

"I suppose I'll go take nap on the futon, then," she mumbled, turning towards the guest room. Before she could take a step, there was a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see the cryomancer right behind her.

"I have a better idea. Follow me," he said before turning and walking away. Celeste figured she had no choice, so she followed.

The two walked through the snow until they came to a familiar-looking area. In fact, it was the courtyard where she found him the evening of her arrival, and like last time, there were Lin Kuei sparring with each other. She noticed a few of them stopping to watch Sub-Zero lead her towards the practice grounds, but once the cryomancer glared at them, they immediately resumed their training.

"You," he began, turning his attention to the brunette, "will stay here while I train them. I gather you like observing and so you shall. This should keep you out of trouble." Celeste nodded and took a seat under a nearby tree once she was dismissed by the cryomancer. She certainly wasn't about to question someone with the ability freeze another individual solid. She may have liked the cold, but she didn't like it _that_ much.

'_And I'm already on thin ice with him as is. Oh, such a horrible pun,_' she thought, but allowed herself a tiny chuckle anyway.

"Enjoying yourself?" The sound of a familiar voice brought Celeste back into the present. She slowly turned her head to see that it was only Raiden. The man was looking down at her with those strange eyes of his.

'_Where the hell did he come from?_' she wondered but remembered how the man seemed to enjoy teleporting around everywhere.

"I suppose," came her reply as she shrugged. Then her eyes lit up only a moment later. "Hey, any news about what's going on? Will I be able to return home soon?" she asked with sudden enthusiasm.

"All will be explained in due time. First, I need to speak with Sub-Zero and then we will go meet the others," was the thunder god's response.

The brunette stayed there as Raiden approached the cryomancer. She watched as Sub-Zero instructed the warriors in front of him to spar with each other once the god reached him and observed the exchange of words between the two men. Somewhere in the middle of their conversation, Sub-Zero took a brief glance at her, bringing her to the conclusion that something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

* * *

Celeste stood in a house where the trio teleported to moments prior. The thunder god disclosed that they were now in southern China, just outside of a tiny village to the west, which she really didn't care about. She was still just as far away from home as before.

Upon stepping into the house, she noticed there were others already there and assumed they were the people Raiden mentioned earlier. These new faces consisted of a rather round man with his grey hair pulled back into a ponytail, a woman in purple with black hair, another man wearing a black bodysuit with a red bandana across his eyes, and finally, yet another man who wore a wide-brimmed hat. Two of the men nodded to her once she stepped foot in the door as the woman smiled at her.

"Raiden, where are the others?" the man in the hat inquired of the thunder god.

"They should be here soo—" The door slammed open, interrupting Raiden and revealing a very agitated blonde-haired woman and a man with mechanical arms. Both were carrying luggage, though the blonde looked as if she was ready to throw her suitcase at something. Or someone.

"Ugh, the nerve!" she hissed as she stepped into the room. Her mouth opened to say something else, but once she apparently took notice of the six pairs of eyes on her, she pressed her lips tightly together and kept walking.

"Come on, baby. Don't be like that," a voice from outside pleaded.

At that moment, Celeste's eyes darted to the door. She knew she'd heard that voice before, oddly enough. Seconds later, a man stepped through the doorway, seeming strangely familiar to the brunette. He wore dark sunglasses, a white dress shirt, black slacks, and black dress shoes.

"_Johnny Cage_?" Celeste cried in disbelief.

She watched the man set his luggage down by the door and lower his glasses to get a good look at her. She could see him taking her in: five-foot-five stature, pear-shaped frame, alabaster skin, long chestnut locks, huge eyes, high cheekbones, and pink lips. She could tell what he was thinking as he looked her over: pretty but not a total bombshell, and just a bit too young. His eyes gave everything away.

"Oh, a fan? You want an autograph, kiddo?" he asked with a grin once his eyes finally met hers, then proceeded to reach for one of his bags for something. Most likely a pen.

"Hm, well I'm sorry that my appearance has thrown you for a loop, but I'm nowhere close to being a kid. I'm twenty-one-years-old," she said pragmatically as she slightly narrowed her eyes, partially unaware to a few looks of shock from the others in the room. "Also, I hate to burst your bubble, but I'm not really a fan. I only saw one of your movies not too long ago. It had something to do with a mime. Honesty, I'm just surprised that you're here is all," the brunette added with a tiny shrug.

Before anything else was said, Raiden held up a hand and spoke, saying, "In fact, he is one of Earthrealm's warriors, along with everyone else you see here. I have assembled you all here for a specific purpose, for I have foreseen many things that very well may put this realm in grave danger."

"What is it that you have seen?" questioned the man with the red bandana.

"It would seem that Outworld is reorganizing now that Shinnok has fallen. I have seen Mileena taking Shao Kahn's place on the throne and declaring Mortal Kombat. However, it would seem that she has both Quan Chi and Shang Tsung at her disposal," Raiden explained, Celeste taking note of the sudden look of anger on the hat-wearing man's face.

"Wait, _Mileena_ calls for Mortal Kombat? Shao Kahn declared it solely to gain Earthrealm, but what reason would _she_ have?" the blonde asked the thunder god.

"I cannot say I know for sure, Sonya, but I believe she was persuaded into doing so," responded Raiden.

"But who the hell would persuade the crazy bitch?" asked the man with mechanical arms.

"Shang Tsung. He plays a major part in this as well. Before Kung Lao's question, I was going to explain the presence of our guest here," Raiden said, directing attention to Celeste. "Just over a week ago, she was attacked by an assassin. I have learned his name was Jinkuru and he was sent by the sorcerer to take her," he informed.

"But why _her_? What does he want from her?" inquired Sonya Blade, her blue eyes on Raiden.

"I have yet to figure out why Shang Tsung is targeting Celeste, but I believe she may be able to tell you herself, if she is willing," he replied, looking to the brunette. Immediately, nearly all eyes were on Celeste.

'_Ugh, why not. Should have seen this coming anyway,_' she thought in irritation, but after a moment she sighed.

"I'd guess he was after me because of what I can do," the young woman muttered, meeting the stares of some of the warriors with bored, half-lidded eyes.

"And what is it that you can do?" Kung Lao asked what everyone else thought.

"I sap people. It's like if I touch someone and focus on making them weak, they become weaker I suppose," she sighed with a shrug. "But it doesn't happen whenever someone touches me or I touch them. There has to be some active thinking or action on my part," Celeste clarified while slowly shifting her gaze from person to person. For a moment, she thought about telling them what happened _after_ she drained people, but decided against it. _No one_ needed to know about the visions. She sensed they were already uncomfortable knowing that if she touched them that she could very well decide to weaken them, as if she would even consider it.

"Hm, perhaps he means to use you as a weapon or something," the woman in purple suggested.

"That is one theory, Li Mei, but I believe that we are only scratching the surface. Shang Tsung must believe that Celeste's ability is going to be extremely useful to him in order to persuade Mileena into Mortal Kombat, _if_ he is truly the one pushing her," the thunder god uttered. "At any rate, she will be staying here with you all as it is currently the safest alternative," Raiden said as he looked around the room at each of the warriors.

"What about you? Wouldn't staying with you be the _better _alternative?" the blonde questioned.

"Honestly, Sonya, she will be in even greater danger if she comes with me. I have but one more person left to find, and his temper will make dealing with him all the more difficult within itself," he explained.

"Okay, so she stays _here_. What do you suppose _we_ do? _Babysit_?" Sonya Blade snorted, crossing her arms.

Celeste glared at the woman with a raised brow. While it was true that she wasn't completely comfortable around these people at the moment, she would not tolerate being referred to as a child, especially since she acted her age and refrained from whining about all of the craziness that now surrounded her.

'_Compared to you and everyone else here, I'm probably the underdog, but my bite is still a hell of lot worse than my bark, bitch,_' she mentally hissed as she continued glaring at the blonde.

"You are simply keeping her safe, and while doing so, I assume you will all prepare for the upcoming tournament. I should not be gone too long and I doubt she will get herself into too much trouble," was the thunder god's retort, unbeknown to him and everyone else in the room that Sub-Zero smirked at the last remark.

"It's fine. She will be safe here, Raiden," the round man assured. The others nodded in agreement, Sonya grudgingly doing so.

"Yeah! She'll be fine, even if I have to defend her myself." Johnny smiled, earning dark looks from most of everyone else present, especially Sonya and Celeste.

"Then it is settled. I will return as quickly as I can." And with those words, Raiden disappeared, leaving everyone to get settled in.

* * *

Celeste stood outside the front door, looking up at the night sky. She was keeping to herself for a little while, mostly because of Sonya. The woman had a horrible temper and didn't seem very fond of her. So, she took the advice of the man with the mechanical arms, whose name she learned was Jax, and decided to keep out of Sonya's sights for a bit, mainly to ensure some sort of peace.

Aside from the angry blonde, Celeste found that she rather liked or could at least handle the other warriors. Kenshi, the man that wore the bandana over his eyes and who she discovered to be blind, was quite friendly. Likewise, she could say the same for Kung Lao, Li Mei, and the large, drunken guy whom everyone called Bo' Rai Cho. Despite their somewhat irritating and near-constant verbal (and literal) jabs at each other, Jax and Johnny were tolerable, Jax more so than Johnny. Of course, while Sub-Zero still kept his distance most of the time, he wasn't as cold as Celeste initially pinned him to be since he _did_ participate in conversation, though it was a rarity.

Seeing the stars above caused her to smile. She never got a view as great as this one back home in the city, due to the lights everywhere. However, this feeling was short-lived once her mind moved onto other thoughts. This Shang Tsung person was after her. Of course, she _should _felt safe, seeing as she was in the hands of eight capable warriors. That and if it got to a certain point, she could just drain him herself, but none of that eased her anxiety. Based on how she felt during her vision of Shang Tsung in his palace, the man should be feared, or at least, that's how _Jinkuru_ felt.

"Oh, there you are! The others started panicking when they discovered your absence. They thought you were on the run or something of the sort." Celeste turned to see Li Mei standing behind her.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to worry anyone. I just decided to steer clear of Sonya for a while, and it's a beautiful night out," she explained to the woman.

"Heh, understandable, but don't let her get to you. She's like that with everyone just about. It seems worse with Cage though," the woman chuckled then continued. "But how about we go in before everyone rushes out here, okay?"

"Alright. Just a moment," Celeste complied and took one last look at the stars as the woman went back inside.

'_The shit pot's been stirred. I just know it,'_ she thought with dismay before turning away from the moonless sky. She followed Li Mei into the house and prayed that she was wrong.

* * *

**A/N: With this chapter's end, I want to begin by thanking you all for taking out the time to read this (regardless if it's your first, second, or even fifth time doing so) and leaving reviews. I appreciate it greatly.**

**So guys, prepare! Everyone's favorite ball of vengeance makes an appearance next chapter. Can't wait to see how that goes with the current crowd, especially with a certain cryomancer. Of course, as you all can see, Celeste's got quite a bit of attitude. I can't help but wonder how she'll continue interacting with everyone else. Heh. **

**Until next time,**

**Torion**


	4. Playing With Fire

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for adult language and some violence.  
**

* * *

He spent the past couple of days searching the Netherrealm for any signs of Quan Chi. He hadn't seen the necromancer since the bastard managed to escape him during their last confrontation nearly a week ago. But once he found the sorcerer again, he was going to give the son-of-a-bitch a slow, excruciating death, and he was going to revel in every second of it with delight, knowing his family and clan were finally avenged.

"Once I find you, Quan Chi, VENGEANCE WILL BE MINE!" the man bellowed into the fiery tunnel before him.

"I do not think you will find him here, Scorpion," a voice said in response to the spectre's outburst. Scorpion turned around to find the thunder god staring at him.

"You know nothing!" he spat at the god.

"But I do. Quan Chi has fled the Netherrealm. Continuing your search here will be pointless. A waste of time even," Raiden retorted.

"No, _you_ waste my time with this idle conversation!" Scorpion growled, turning his back to Raiden and continuing forward. He needed to find the necromancer, not have small talk with some pathetic god.

"Scorpion!" Raiden called to the spectre. The man ignored the call and continued walking, so Raiden called to him again, louder. This time, Scorpion stopped, albeit reluctantly, and faced the thunder god once more.

"_What_?" the man roared, narrowing his white eyes.

"I have a proposition for you, and if you agree, I can certainly guarantee that you will find Quan Chi," Raiden assured. The spectre remained quiet for a moment, debating his next move, but in the end, decided to hear the thunder god out. After all, there couldn't be any harm in simply hearing the proposal, could it?

* * *

After another night of nearly six of hours of sleep, Celeste awoke and found Li Mei's bed empty but didn't worry. She assumed the woman was probably downstairs with everyone else. With a yawn, she stood up and noticed a duffle bag by the foot of her bed. She cautiously inspected the bag and found a note beside it. The brunette picked up the note, opened it, and read it.

_Celeste,_

_It seems we got off on the wrong foot. I took previous frustrations out on you and for that, I apologize. You can't help the current dilemma you're in and I will make sure no harm comes to you, fulfilling my duties as both an officer of the U.S. military and a warrior for Earthrealm. Also, it seemed that I packed too much clothing, so here are a few things I'm lending you for the time being. It seemed that the clothes you're currently wearing are all you have with you. That's all._

_-Sonya_

She closed the note and set it aside, after a moment or two of gaping at it. Sonya Blade _apologized_. It could have been that she just woke up, but that was taking a while to process in her brain. Celeste only shrugged and unzipped the bag. Inside she found a tank top, a tee shirt, a pair of khaki shorts, one pair of sweatpants, and a set of undergarments. Granted everything was military green, white, or black, she was grateful to have other clothes aside from her jeans, white tank top, and her navy, off-the-shoulder sweater. The brunette picked out the khaki shorts, a black tee shirt, and the undergarments and headed off for a hot shower.

The brunette walked down stairs in her selected attire with her damp hair pulled back into a ponytail. She noticed that no one seemed to be in the house and went into a slight panic until she saw Bo' Rai Cho sitting at the dining table, taking sips from a huge mug. She may have only known the man for two days, but she knew he sure as hell wasn't drinking coffee out of that.

"Where's everyone else?" she asked him. He nodded towards the front door and took another sip of his beverage. Celeste mouthed the word "thanks" and proceeded about her way. Once she opened the door and barely took a step outside, a white blur flew past her face and pounded the wall beside her.

"_The_ _hell_?" she screamed and jumped back, bringing a hand to her rapidly beating heart, eyes wide and alert. She looked down to see a chunk of ice by her feet and instantly knew where, or rather _who_, it came from. She looked up to see Sub-Zero and Kung Lao rushing to her, both obviously alarmed and worried.

"Are you okay?" the Shaolin asked as he and the cryomancer approached the young woman. She nodded slowly, trying to even out her breathing.

"I just wasn't expecting _that_," she gasped, pointing at the ice on the ground.

"My apologies. I did not see you. I will be more careful from now on," Sub-Zero promised the brunette.

"And I'll try to be more alert and have better timing next time," she said with the hint of a smile.

She couldn't really blame anyone else but herself. She should have known that everyone, well _almost _everyone, was training. That seemed like it was the main objective since Raiden left. Though she didn't know what Mortal Kombat was, she assumed that it must be a major deal. Of course, she also planned to ask Raiden about it upon his return. Once Celeste assured the men that she was fine, they continued what they were doing and she roamed around the premises, observing the other warriors.

At the start of their training, it was suggested that everyone practiced in pairs but the pairs would change from day to day. Today's pairs were Sub-Zero and Kung Lao, Sonya and Li Mei, and finally, Jax and Johnny Cage. Kenshi, whose partner was probably Bo' Rai Cho, sat to himself and seemed to be meditating, so Celeste decided to leave the blind warrior in peace. She wandered back to Sub-Zero and Kung Lao, this time keeping an eye out for icy projectiles. While she did enjoy watching the others fight, she found that she much preferred observing the cryomancer instead.

'_Mainly because he has a nice ass_,' she thought as a mischievous grin spread across her face. However, with all playfulness aside, Celeste admitted that there was something else present. She found herself highly intrigued by his character, a stern man that keeps to himself, rarely speaking aloud unless first spoken to. He had a mysterious air about him, and it clashed hard with her ever-so-curious nature. Part of her liked it, while it drove the other part insane.

'_Either way, I need to be cautious. Curiosity _did _apparently kill the cat,_' she smirked to herself as she continued watching the bout between the Lin Kuei and the Shaolin.

After a few hours passed, the warriors decided to take breaks. Everyone either sat or stood outside near the front of the house. Celeste sat with Li Mei, whom she realized she developed a near-instant bond with. The woman was currently finishing up a story about Outworld and how it was growing up in such a place, when Sonya walked up to the two. Celeste glanced up at the blonde with slight smile, but she was still a bit uneasy around her.

"Hey," she greeted the woman. "Oh, and thank you for lending me some of your stuff. It was strange only having one set of clothes."

"It was nothing. Actually, you should thank Li Mei. I wouldn't have known had she not told me. You got the note?" the blonde asked.

"I did, and it's fine. Don't worry about it. Everyone has their days," the brunette said with a shrug, knowing that was true from experience. She couldn't remember how many times she wanted to snap on the customers at work. For a brief moment, she was reminded of home and how she was so far behind with everything, but she shook her head, clearing away the unwanted thought.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash and a quiet buzzing noise which Celeste had grown accustomed to. The warriors stopped their conversations and focused on Raiden, but he wasn't alone. Beside the god stood a rather frightening-looking man with completely white eyes, garbed in black and yellow.

"Raiden, why is _he_ here?" the cryomancer hissed at the thunder god, but his eyes never left the other man. Raiden stepped forward and held up a hand, before utter chaos would erupt.

"Scorpion is here because he has agreed to fight with Earthrealm side in the upcoming tournament since Quan Chi will undoubtedly be present," the god explained to the group of warriors, but the news seemed to only rile a few of them up even further.

"You can't be serious, Raiden!" Sonya snarled, standing next to Sub-Zero.

Celeste notice Scorpion's eyes dart to the blonde as soon as she spoke. Despite the fact that his eyes were like a white nothingness, they burned with an intense hatred that put the brunette on edge.

"Sonya, enough," Raiden sighed. "He is going to fight with Earthrealm. We have to do all that we can to ensure this realm survives the tournament and that Celeste is kept safe from Shang Tsung."

"And who the _hell_ is that, Raiden?" the spectre questioned, glaring at the god.

"Me," a feminine voice replied.

The brunette felt Scorpion's gaze on her as soon as she stood up behind Sonya. She stepped beside the blonde, already aware she looked smaller, weaker compared to the woman. Though this man caused the hairs on her neck stand, Celeste kept steady eye-contact with him.

"You never said anything about guarding some girl!" he roared, turning away from the brunette to glare at Raiden.

"For her being just _some_ girl, she has some special power that that damned sorcerer seems mighty focused on," Sonya scowled at the spectre.

"This is a _waste_ of my time! I _did not_ come here to watch after some little kid! And _power_? What power could the pathetic brat _possibly _have?" He sneered at the people before him, thoroughly pissed that Raiden interrupted his search for Quan Chi so he could defend some useless girl. However, Scorpion didn't realize that he wasn't the only one seething.

"_Little kid_? Then allow me to _fucking _show you what this so-called _pathetic brat_ can do!" Celeste growled, rushing forward and grabbing hold of the spectre's wrists without warning. In all of her spite, she focused on the man in front of her. A twisted grin slowly spread across her face as she felt a hot current pass between Scorpion and herself.

"GET OFF OF ME!" the spectre yelled as he forcefully threw the brunette off of him, feeling the effect of her touch soon after.

Celeste was now thoroughly pissed, her eyes burning like tiny, green embers. She had never felt this angry in her entire life. She wanted to _destroy_ that man, and she damn well would. Then she noticed something. Her hands were _burning_, but her skin wasn't being consumed by the fire. The sadistic grin returned to her face as she thought of a way to use this flame.

Without further ado, she lounged back at Scorpion, but before she had the chance to reach him, a fist connected with her jaw. Pain shot through her face as she fell down, landing in an unconscious heap, the fire immediately extinguished from her hands as soon as her body hit the ground. All eyes were on Sonya, whose own eyes were wide in shock. The woman momentarily looked at the young brunette laying before her.

"I didn't know what else to do. It happened entirely too fast!" the woman explained, meeting the eyes of Raiden who only nodded. Even _he_ didn't fully comprehended what just happened, or what had provoked Celeste into such behavior.

"I don't think anyone saw _that _coming, especially hot-head over there," the actor stated, pointing to the empty space where the spectre once stood. "Hey, where'd he go?" Johnny Cage asked.

"Honestly, I could care less," the cryomancer spat as he picked up the unconscious brunette and carried her into the house without another word.

Everyone else, aside from Kenshi who followed Sub-Zero, stood around awkwardly, trying to make sense of the recent scene that unraveled before them. After a while, the warriors gave up and entered the house. Celeste would hopefully explain herself when she regained consciousness.

* * *

Scorpion teleported himself a couple of miles away from the thunder god and company. He felt extremely weak and it bothered him. He did not foresee that the crazy girl would drain him and actually try to use his own hellfire against him, not that it would have done her much good. He also failed to predict that the irritable blonde would knock her own ally unconscious, and judging by the look on her face, neither did she.

'_I hope it dislocated her fucking jaw,_' he thought angrily then realized that he could be as pissed as he wanted at the girl, but he did apparently provoke her into action, and she wasn't _entirely_ pathetic. However, none of that mattered. As soon as he regained his strength, he was going to teach the brat a little lesson. If she wanted to play with fire, then she would have to accept the consequence of being burned.

* * *

Celeste awoke and noticed that she was laying in her bed in the room she shared with Li Mei. She brought a hand to her face and gently rubbed her cheek. It stung. A lot. As if triggered by the sting, scenes from earlier flashed into her mind. She got angry and drained someone who was meant to be an ally. She lost control and that had never happened before. It was frightening.

"So you have finally awaken." The brunette jumped and turned her head to see Raiden and Sub-Zero sitting on the edge of Li Mei's bed.

"I really did not mean for that to happen! I'm so sorry!" she cried out in a panic.

"So you do remember," said Raiden, looking at the brunette. "Please, tell us what happened to you as best as you can," he coaxed. Celeste stared down at her hands, retracing the event.

"Well, I just remember getting very angry. He called me a 'pathetic brat,' and it pissed me off. I wanted to prove him wrong, but when I touched him, all of that anger, everything, exploded into sheer hatred. I didn't mean to lose control like that. Looking back over it actually scares me," she murmured, her eyes slowly meeting the thunder god's.

"It also appears that you not only drained him, but you also took some of his ability to command fire," remarked the cryomancer in a serious tone, although he was secretly amused that Celeste managed to weaken the spectre.

"Likewise, it seems this ability makes your target's feelings to become your own, which also clearly has dangerous effects," Raiden remarked then sighed. "Yet, I still continue to piece together possible theories as to what Shang Tsung would gain from this power, but nothing I gather makes sense."

A pregnant silence soon took over as each drifted away into his or her own world. Raiden still tried to make sense of Shang Tsung's motives for wanting the girl's power, Sub-Zero worried about the girl's power driving her to more erratic behavior like earlier, and Celeste remained quiet in her guilt, until she remembered what she promised herself earlier.

"Raiden, what exactly is Mortal Kombat?" she asked with her eyes on the god. Both men looked up at her, a bit stunned from her question, but Raiden answered her regardless.

"It is a tournament in which warriors from each of the realms participate. The kombatants sometimes fight to the death, but not always. It was created by the Elders Gods to maintain order and limit invasions between realms. There are in fact rules as well, of course, with the main one being that deities like myself cannot participate," Raiden explained. "Is there a particular reason you asked?" he then questioned with minor suspicion.

"I was curious. I've noticed that everyone seems to take it seriously, and I wanted to know why. Personally, I have no intention of taking part," she replied, noticing the looks of relief on the men's faces.

"But you will have to accompany us there. You cannot be left alone. That gives Shang Tsung the perfect opportunity to capture you. Though, I am afraid to say that the tournament will most likely be held on his island," the god stated.

"Well I expected as much. I'm only making it known that I refuse to take part in something like that. Also, I had an idea," she said, looking at the men.

"What's this idea?" the cryomancer inquired thoughtfully.

"Now, hear me out before you say anything, but I would like to learn proper self-defense." Celeste looked up to see both men gaping at her and decided to further explain before either could object.

"When I was younger, I took karate lessons for about three years, but the memory of it all is fuzzy. That and although I'm going to be with you for the tournament, you're all going to be preoccupied. I figure that if I learned some kind of self-defense, it takes a bit of a burden off of you, and I sure as hell _do not_ want to have to keep resorting to using my powers. Not after what happened today. So _please_ Raiden, let them teach me _something _at least," she pleaded to the god, ignoring Sub-Zero's presence entirely.

Raiden sat in silence, but judging by the look on his face, he was seriously considering the idea. While the god thought through things, Celeste allowed her gaze to drift to the cryomancer but quickly looked away once her eyes met his blue hues. After a good couple of minutes or so, the thunder god reached a decision.

"All right. Since you make a solid argument and have assured your disinterest in participating in Mortal Kombat, you may train with the others. However, you must also work towards shaping and controlling your power so that future incidents can be avoided. That is the one condition," Raiden bargained, much to the brunette's chagrin.

After a moment or two passed, Celeste slowly nodded in agreement. Even though she didn't want to use the god-awful ability again, she could see Raiden's logic. If she trained her power, then she would have better control of it. Or so she hoped. In the end, only time would tell.

* * *

**A/N: So, Celeste is a bit of a firecracker, isn't she? And well, she isn't the most eloquent speaker, but she gets her point across.  
**

**Also, Scorpion's made his appearance, but quite a few people have still yet to show. One even includes everyone's favorite Tarkatan hybrid. Of course, that certainly means blood and violence. There's something to look forward to! Enjoy!**

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	5. Momentary Weakness

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for some language and scenes of violence.  
**

* * *

Shang Tsung sat alone in his palace, contemplating his next course of action. Three weeks ago, he sent an assassin after the girl but the man failed, which did not surprise the sorcerer in the least. Also to his displeasure, Raiden found the girl and put her under the protection of his warriors somewhere in Earthrealm.

It was true that he could simply infiltrate the realm disguised as a member of their party, but there were too many flaws in that plan. At any rate, he knew he needed to flush them out if he had any chance of acquiring the girl, and he knew exactly how.

After much preparation, Shang Tsung devised another plan, which was immediately set into action. Of course, it involved working with the necromancer he so despised, but both he and Quan Chi were able to work together to persuade Outworld's new ruler into declaring Mortal Kombat.

Unlike the past emperor, Shao Kahn, this new _empress_ was more strategic, planning out every single detail to ensure her victory. Simply telling her that conquering Earthrealm would be in her best interests was not enough, so they explained that defeating Earthrealm would make it certain that she could attack Edenia and prevail, since their allies would be too weak to offer support. Once the proposal had been made, the empress thought it over, asking several questions in the process. As soon as everything was explained to her liking, she jumped on the idea, declaring that she would finally be able to fulfill her birthright and rule Edenia.

Though this was taking much time and effort, Shang Tsung was quite pleased. He knew that acquiring the girl would be his greatest feat yet. She was highly valuable. In fact, she would be the one to save him from his wretched curse. Once he consumed her soul and combined her power with his own, he would finally be immortal. He would finally be unstoppable.

* * *

"That's good! Just like that!" Sonya praised the brunette in front of her for successfully blocking one of her punches. She and Jax started teaching Celeste basic defense two days ago. Both demonstrated blocking techniques and simple counters, then tested her by seeing if she could respond to hits with the appropriate block or counter. Much to their surprise, she caught on very quickly.

However, before this part of her training began, the two decided to start conditioning first, only to find that the brunette was already in decent shape. She informed them that she used to play soccer and recently quit the team a couple of months ago, but she kept in shape by running every other morning. Of course, this explained why she ran so fast, easily keeping up with Li Mei who seemed to be one of the quickest women anyone ever saw. The two noted right away that the brunette's speed, agility, and stamina would be her advantages over any potential opponents.

While Celeste was pleased with her progress so far, something still ate at her inside. It was her bargain with the thunder god. Though she agreed to work towards having better control of her ability, it did not mean that she wanted to use it again, especially not on any of her new companions. Even though she already had some control of it, the encounter with Scorpion taught her it was still possible for her to lose herself. That and according to Raiden's theory, using her ability on someone with strong emotions would cause their emotions to mix with her own, but she had no idea how to remedy that or if it was even possible.

"Hey! Did you catch that?" Sonya's voice broke through Celeste's thoughts. She blinked and noticed the blonde focusing stern blue eyes on her person, but before she could say anything, Jax intervened.

"Hey, Sonya. I think we should call it a day. It's only an hour till sunset and the girl looks like she could use some rest. We can pick it up tomorrow," he suggested. The blonde sighed and nodded.

"Alright. We continue first thing in the morning," she said before quickly walking off. Celeste could only sigh. She could tell that Sonya was not happy with Jax's decision, but he seemed to be the only person she_ didn't_ argue with.

"Thanks, but we could have kept going if she wanted. I'm fine," Celeste mumbled, fixing green eyes on Jax.

"You say that, but the look on your face says otherwise. You can try and deny it all you want, but you're worried about something. Now, you don't have to tell _me_ what's up, but it'll do you good to confide in _someone_. Promise me you'll do _that_ at least," he requested.

"I suppose," she sighed in response. She was never really comfortable with telling others about her worries and her issues. Usually, she was able to persuade others to stop worrying about her with the exception of her mother, because no matter how hard Celeste tried, there was never getting _anything_ past that woman.

"Good. Now, let's head in. I want to get to the kitchen before Bo' Rai Cho does. I don't know what he cooked this morning, but it sure as hell wasn't soup," he snorted, a look of mock disgust on his face as he walked towards the house with a smirking Celeste in tow.

* * *

The brunette lay curled up in her bed, her green eyes focused on the wall. She was left in the care of Sub-Zero while the others ventured out for supplies. She really didn't understand why seven people were needed to grab supplies, but then she remembered just how many things they were out of. At any rate, she figured they wouldn't be gone long since the majority of the things on the list were food items. Everyone seemed pretty hungry and would probably hurry back so dinner could be made.

Moreover, it was decided that she would be the one to prepare dinner once the supplies were brought back. Since Jax and Bo' Rai Cho argued over the matter, Kung Lao suggested that someone else should cook for a change. That someone turned out to be her, but she didn't mind. She liked cooking and figured no one would mind stir-fry. The neighboring village town would have all the supplies needed and it was relatively easy to make.

Celeste rolled over on and closed her eyes. She felt like taking a nap and figured that once the others returned, someone would wake her. Without another thought, she relaxed and allowed sleep to claim her.

* * *

_The ninja walked through the forest, letting the moon light his path. His journey had been going on for what felt like eternity, although only a week passed since it began. This particular quest involved locating a certain individual, and he refused to stop until he had found the man was looking for. Once he found this person, he would have his revenge. This man _did_ kill him after all. Though he knew he shouldn't be alive right now, he would look at it as being given a second chance, although it came with a slight price. _

_He promised his allegiance to a necromancer named Quan Chi, even if the sorcerer didn't know it was temporary. In fact, it was Quan Chi himself who employed him to find a certain map. It was on that particular assignment which he lost his life, slain by a man that called himself Sub-Zero of the Lin Kuei. Being a member of the Shirai Ryu clan, he hated the Lin Kuei with every fiber of his being. They were corrupt and the thought of the rival clan filled him with disgust._

_He continued walking forward but now used extreme caution. There was a change, a shift in the wind. He knew something was not right. The scent of death hung over this place and it made his skin crawl. As Scorpion continued, he noticed the faint scent of smoke drifting from the east, and then realization hit._

_"NO!" He growled as he ran in the direction of the smoke, the direction of the Shirai Ryu. _

_Adrenaline surged through Scorpion as he drew closer and closer to the smoke and his clan. He needed to get there as quickly as he could so that he could aid his comrades. Without further ado, the spectre teleported into the center of the Shirai Ryu village, stunned by the carnage around him._

_Everything was up in flames and dark, dirty blood coated the ground. There lay burned, mutilated corpses everywhere. Any livestock he saw were all slain and charred. The air carried the nauseating stench of burnt flesh and blood and the salty scent of sour tears to him. The mocking crackle of the flames filled the air, along with the blood-curdling screams of dying victims. What made matters even worse, was that he thought he heard _hers_ among them._

_"MANAMI!" The spectre cried, rushing to what was once his family's hut. _

_Upon reaching the hut, his eyes first fell upon a severely disfigured female corpse. Her burnt flesh was covered in dried blood. Fingers were missing from her hands and her hair had melted onto her scalp and face. Her clothing had burned away, leaving behind a mostly nude, seared body which lay over what seemed to be the headless, singed corpse of a child. _His_ only child, _his_ son, Daitaro._

_Scorpion fell to his knees as bright, gold flames crept over his body. He roared out in pain and fury. He arrived too late and failed them all. They were all gone. All dead. Yet he'd be damned if it ended here. Like _this_. He was going to hunt down whomever responsible for this slaughter, and they would pay, slowly and painfully. Vengeance was going to be his. He was going to make damn sure of it._

* * *

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster sat on the wooden floor. He was currently trying to meditate, which he hasn't done in some time. With all of the recent events, he rarely found the time to relax and clear his mind. However, since most of everyone was gone for a while, the cryomancer could do just that. The only other person in the house with him was Celeste, but she was keeping to herself for the time being.

The cryomancer opened his eyes as he thought about the brunette. She was an interesting character. Although she initially came across as timid and vulnerable, it soon became perfectly clear that she was anything but.

For starters, she was quite devious. She often gave into her curious nature and browsed through the belongings of others, although he reprimanded her many times for doing so and found it peculiar that he was the only one to _ever_ catch her. She didn't fear using sarcasm and occasional profanity in her speech, and she would make a rare bold statement from time to time, though those were becoming more and more frequent. He also caught her gawking at him a couple of times, yet he still had not decided whether to reprimand her about that as well or just let it go. Of course, there was a small part of him that liked the attention, but he would _never_ admit to it.

Moreover, he noted that the she was relatively tough. In training, she was able to take a couple of good hits from both Sonya and Jax whenever she missed her blocks. She never complained about it and just simply kept going after making sure nothing was broken. Likewise, she was even capable of knocking Jax down when she tried, despite being nearly a foot shorter than the man.

Although only a few weeks passed since meeting the brunette and despite her few impolite habits, he considered her a decent companion, more so than past figures he once acquainted himself with.

"NO!" a sudden, painful cry echoed through the house. Immediately recognizing the voice belonged to Celeste, Sub-Zero was on his feet in an instant and quickly made his way up the stairs. When he reached her shared bedroom, he was a bit relieved to see that no one else somehow made it past him to her, but the feeling was overshadowed with concern once he took notice of the young woman before him.

Though she sat unharmed on her bed, Celeste looked anything but okay. Her knees were drawn to her chest and her head was cradled between them. Her body trembled violently as she loudly sobbed. Once she raised her head, he saw her red, puffy eyes. He, too, took notice that her eyes narrowed at him when she realized he was standing there.

"Stay back! You murdered him!" she yelled at him when he took a step to her. Sub-Zero only looked at her in mild confusion. He killed no one, or at least, no one she would know about.

"I do not understand what you mean," he said with furrowed brows as he looked at her sweaty and flushed face.

"Don't lie to me! You killed Scorpion!" she screamed at him, more tears falling from her green orbs. The cryomancer stood there for a moment. She just accused him of killing Scorpion, who was already dead. Then he understood.

"No, no. The man of whom you speak of was not me. _That _was my brother. He was Sub-Zero before I," he explained. Celeste looked up at the man through watery eyes, confused.

'_There had been another Sub-Zero? When?_' she thought to herself, but asked aloud, "Then what happened to him?"

"He was killed by Scorpion during Mortal Kombat," he replied, looking away from Celeste to the wall. Although he accepted his brother's death, it still stung, but it was the past and it should remain so.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have," the brunette sobbed then looked down to the bedspread in humiliation.

Sub-Zero glanced back at the brunette. She cradled her head on her knees and let out a soft sniffle. There was something else at play here. He knew it. He quietly walked over and sat beside her on the bed. After a moment, she looked at him and rubbed at her already irritated eyes. Then blue met green, and he could see the traces of absolute torment in her eyes.

"Celeste, what happened?" the cryomancer softly asked. She averted her attention to the wall beside her bed before more moisture could build up in her eyes again.

"It's nothing. It was just a dream," she whispered.

Although it was neither completely obvious nor hidden, he could tell Celeste was very angry. What he didn't know, was that she was upset with herself for crying in the presence of someone else. But what he _did_ know, was that she wasn't being honest. A simple dream was not the cause of her current state.

"No, it was something. No one sheds tears over nothing. Please, tell me what happened," he pleaded with the brunette.

He wanted to help her or at least he hoped he could make her stop weeping. He disliked seeing women in despair. It was something that always ate at him. Not to mention, seeing Celeste so uneasy reminded him of a woman he met some years ago, and as if on cue, the image of a female appeared in his mind. She was unrealistically beautiful, having olive-toned skin, shoulder-length, white-streaked dark hair, and deep, teal eyes with black markings over them. But he did not want to remember her, so he quickly pushed the thought of her away.

Celeste sighed and slowly nodded. She honestly wanted to keep it to herself, but she knew he would continue to ask until she told him. Or even worse, the others would arrive and see her in this state, which would make an even bigger mess of things.

She took a breath and murmured, "Death and destruction, pain and rage. It's what he saw and what he felt." She wiped more teardrops from her eyes before looking to the man beside her.

"He?" The cryomancer asked but soon filled in the blank. "Oh, Scorpion." Celeste nodded once again in response, tightly wrapping her arms around her knees.

"It was like I was in his body. I was him. I saw his comrades, his family… all dead," she softly explained. "There was just so much fire and blood and some of the bodies were missing parts. I could smell the burning flesh. It was awful, disgusting, sickening!" she gasped as she recalled the gruesome vision as more moisture spilled over from her eyes.

Sub-Zero watched Celeste. A part of him regretted asking her to explain the dream as it seemed to only cause her more pain, but he knew it was better for her to say something than to keep it bottled up. Without a word, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to him, unsure of what else to do. He heard her gasp in surprise but held on. Her breathing slowed and she calmed down as she leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder.

Some time later, the brunette scooted away from him, seemingly recomposed. Once she moved away from him, Sub-Zero realized that having her at such close proximity didn't bother him in the slightest. It was odd, seeing as he enjoyed his personal space, but the cryomancer stopped worrying. He was only offering comfort. Nothing to get carried away with.

"Sub-Zero, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen. It just all hit at once and I lost myself there. That seems to be happening a lot lately." The sound of her voice reaching his ears, followed by a small, bitter laugh she let escape her lips.

"Do not apologize for such. It's fine," he replied, turning his attention to the brunette.

"No, it isn't," she sighed then added, "I just thought I was in the clear. It usually happens right after I use my power on someone, _not_ days after."

The cryomancer couldn't help but raise a brow at this, but before he could say anything, she continued."Yeah, this is another part of my ability. I have dreams about the people I drain, almost like visions of some sort. During these, I see what they see, hear what they hear, feel what they feel. You get the picture. These don't always happen, but they're pretty frequent."

"Is this why you were hesitant to agree to Raiden's proposal?" he questioned and received a nod in reply.

"I didn't want to use my power on any of you, because I knew this was going to happen if I did. I feel as if it's an invasion of privacy, if that makes any sense. And well, if any of you went through _any _kind of shit like he did, then I don't think I could deal with it. Well, not again anyway," Celeste shrugged.

"We will need to inform Raiden of this and everyone else as well," the cryomancer remarked, keeping his eyes on her.

"I know. I thought I could keep this to myself. Honestly, I already felt like a freak to begin with and that you all were probably worried that I'd start attacking or something, which I promise I won't," she declared, her eyes lighting up for all of a second.

"I'm confident that you will do no such thing, and you have no reason to feel the way you do. Everyone is different. You have nothing to worry about or fear," he assured.

"I guess you're right, and I'll try to remember. Thank you," she smiled before standing to her feet. "Also, if I remember correctly, no one cleaned the kitchen before they set out. Since I'm _very _picky and OCD about that, especially now that I'm going to be the one cooking tonight, I'm going to go clean," she stated before turning her back to him and heading out of the room.

Sub-Zero watched Celeste leave, relieved that she seemed to be okay for now. Secretly, he worried about her deal with Raiden. He did not want her subject to any more than what she had to be, and it was clear that her ability was going to challenge that. However, he would let it go for the moment. Everything will be sorted out as soon as Raiden returned. And with that, he too stood and left the room.

* * *

**A/N: I suppose some of you guessed this would happen at some point. I wanted to describe what happened to the Shirai Ryu in my own way. That and provide a moment for Sub-Zero and Celeste while also giving more insight into her visions. Also, I hope you guys caught the Sareena reference. Since she's one of my favorite characters, I figured I'd toss that in there. Who knows, she might pop up in the story at some point. ;)  
**

**Ah, and speaking of the Shirai Ryu, Scorpion will return very soon and the drama pot is going to be stirred. It won't feel like Mortal Kombat if there isn't a little bloody chaos, am I right? You all will be delighted. I promise. **

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	6. First Taste

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for strong adult language and violence.  
**

* * *

She sat upon her throne with a smile on her face, not that anyone would be able tell since her magenta veil covered her repugnant mouth. Everything was falling into place and it put her in a rare, pleasant mood. Mortal Kombat would begin in a month-and-a-half's time, and she would be one step closer to claiming Edenia, especially since she planned to soften up the Earthrealm warriors beforehand.

Mileena had a private audience with Quan Chi just a few days prior. The necromancer discovered something of importance which had the potential to better her plan. He and his wraith servant traveled to Earthrealm, where the wraith scouted out the exact location of the warriors.

Once the necromancer disclosed the information with her, Mileena summoned Baraka and commanded him to gather a small army of Tarkatans to invade Earthrealm. To her satisfaction, the Tarkatan general complied without hesitation and promptly assembled said army.

'_It's near game over, dear sister_,' Mileena thought as she twirled a few strands of her straight, dark hair around her fingers, a sick grin crawling over her face. It was only a matter of time now until everyone would know exactly what she was capable of and that like her father, she was not one to be toyed with.

* * *

Celeste and most of the kombatants sat around an oval, wooden table with bowls of steaming beef stir-fry in front of them. The only person missing from the table was Sub-Zero, but he always chose to eat away from everyone else. Celeste assumed it was to keep his identity safe, so she didn't make a big deal out of it.

'_Sides, I can understand that. He and his clan are very... secretive_,' she thought as she chewed on a piece of broccoli. She glanced around at her companions, watching as they all took their first bite of the meal. When their faces began lifting up in delight, she couldn't help but smile.

"This is very good!" Bo' Rai Cho exclaimed as he hastily took a bigger bite of his meal. The others nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, much better than flavored water or whatever the hell that shit was you called soup," Jax sneered in Bo' Rai Cho's direction, gaining a few chuckles from Sonya and Li Mei and even a slight smile from Kenshi.

"Yeah, but like Chubby Cho said, this_ is_ some good stuff," remarked the actor before eating more of the stir-fry.

"Thanks," the brunette beamed in accomplishment.

After everyone was fed and content, Celeste started cleaning up the dishes but was soon interrupted by Johnny Cage, Li Mei, and Kung Lao. They offered to do the work for her to show appreciation for the meal, and she accepted, leaving the cleaning to them. She then slipped outside and took a seat on the steps before giving the stars her undivided attention. She became so engrossed by their light that she didn't even notice the other figure until he spoke.

"Is everything all right?" Celeste looked up and saw the cryomancer standing beside her. He was looking down at her, concern showing in those stunning eyes of his.

'_He's still worried about me. I must have really scared the hell out of him earlier_,' she thought but smiled at him and nodded, silently wishing that he'd stop fretting.

"Oh, I'm fine. I was just looking at the stars. It's something I've always done since I can remember," she explained with a small shrug of her shoulders then refocused on the sky above.

Sub-Zero kept his eyes on Celeste. She quickly became lost in her own world with the stars, and because of such, everything about her exuded calmness. All from her facial expression to her hair dancing in the night breeze. Seeing her like this even managed to calm him, but only for a moment.

His senses began yelling at him that danger was near. Fully alert, the cryomancer started silently walking down the steps as he scanned the area. Once he stood a few feet in front of the house, his head snapped to the tree line to the north, sensing an ill presence there. He knew exactly who it was but wasn't relieved at all. Peeved was the more appropriate term.

"Hey, is there something wro…" The brunette's voice trailed off once she noticed the silhouette of an approaching figure, though something about it seemed familiar.

'_Oh, hell,'_ Celeste mentally sighed, realizing that this silhouette belonged to none other than Scorpion. She knew that the ninja was still fuming over their last encounter. He didn't seem the type to let things go. Likewise, she knew first hand that his temper was nothing to laugh at. It was worse than Sonya's.

"So you have returned, but for what reason? Your path of vengeance does not lead here," the Lin Kuei addressed the spectre, once he was fully visible, with arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

"That girl needs to learn that actions have consequences, and I intend to teach her!" Scorpion spat, his ghastly eyes upon the female behind the cryomancer.

In response, Sub-Zero took a step forward prepared to speak, but was stopped by a hand on his arm. His eyes flickered to Celeste, who shook her head and mouthed "allow me." He sighed and reluctantly nodded. This wasn't going to work, but he'd let her have her shot anyway.

'_This is probably going to end horribly, but let's try anyway,_' she thought with a deep breath, then looked to the spectre.

"I understand you're pissed at me for what I did, and believe me, it honestly came out of nowhere. I didn't even mean for it to happen, and trust me, I know that actions have consequences." She paused and gazed woefully at the spectre before continuing. "Because as a result of draining you, I saw everyone you cared about die through your eyes, feeling your pain and your torment as my own. Sincerely, I am so sor—"

"Do not take pity on me! You know nothing of what happened!" the spectre hissed at the brunette, advancing forward only for Sub-Zero to block his path.

"I will not allow you to harm her. You will have to defeat me first!" he challenged, moving into his battle stance. Scorpion glared at his rival, moving into his own stance.

'_Fantastic. I really should have seen this coming_,' Celeste inwardly groaned as she watched the men slowly circle each other. However, before she had the chance to stop the pending fight, the first punch was thrown. She grunted and watched, trying to figure out a way to end it.

Following up his punch, the cryomancer used a trail of ice to slide towards the spectre, who flipped out of the way and countered with a spin kick to the head. Sub-Zero staggered back a moment before freezing the ground in front of him in time to interrupt Scorpion's advance. The spectre quickly recovered and tripped up his opponent with a swift leg sweep.

"Hey, guys. This really _isn't_ called for," she sighed, taking a small step towards the men, yet neither of the two heard her and continued fighting, fire versus ice. She shook her head and tried again, but was drowned out by Scorpion.

"GET OVER HERE!" he yelled as a spear flew in the air towards the cryomancer, but it was knocked away by the Kori blade, which seemed to spawn instantly. The spectre then teleported and punched the Lin Kuei in the jaw, knocking him back.

'_This is fucking ridiculous_,' the brunette mentally cursed, shaking her head then rolling her eyes. She cautiously drew closer to the men. '_Let's try this again_,' she thought, watching Sub-Zero's foot connect with Scorpion's jaw.

"Come on, now! Stop!" she cried out, but once again the two continued throwing and dodging punches and kicks.

Celeste balled her hands into fists and loudly exhaled from her nostrils in irritation. Either she wasn't being loud enough or they were ignoring her, and so help them _both_ if it was the latter. At any rate, she needed to stop this before anyone got seriously injured.

She took a deep breath and watched their movements, looking for her opening. She knew she was about to do something incredibly moronic that may result in her getting knocked out or having bones broken, but she was going to try anyway. Once she assumed she could get in with some ease, she ran forward and wedged herself between the two.

"HEY! CUT THIS SHIT OUT! THE BOTH OF YOU!" she shouted as loud as she could, placing her hands on the men's chests and shoving them apart as hard as she could, just barely dodging Scorpion's fist in the process. There was a sharp intake of breath as she stared at the spectre in slight shock with dully glowing green eyes, but before anyone could fully react to the situation, there was another outcry.

"What in the hell is going on out here? I suggest someone start talking," hissed a very irritated female. Celeste and the rival clansmen turned to see Sonya and everyone else looking at them.

"Oh, Scorchion's back! Get it? Scorch—"

"Shut it, Cage, before I show you _my_ rendition of your Nutcracker!" she scowled at the actor, not only ruining his joke but also causing nearly every male present to flinch. Celeste never heard of such in her life, but judging by the looks on the faces of the men and how a few guarded their groins, she gathered it was a crotch shot.

"Celeste," spoke the Shaolin, now commanding everyone's attention. "If you will, please tell us what happened," he requested with his eyes on the brunette.

"Well, they st—"

"They started fightin', man. Same damn thing that always happens when they're near each other," Jax snorted as he pointed at Sub-Zero and Scorpion.

"Truthfully, even_ I_ could have inferred as much and I have no physical sight," Kenshi remarked while shaking his head. "I believe Kung Lao wanted to know _how_ it got to that point."

"Yes. That," he said as he nodded in Kenshi's direction.

Celeste nodded and combed her hair away from her face then began to explain, but stopped once she noticed the warriors inspecting their surroundings. She even felt a slight chill running down her spine.

'_It feels like shit is about to creep_,' she thought to herself as she also looked around, but failed to see anything suspicious. '_Or_ m_aybe it's just a fluke,_' she reasoned, but the warriors did not relax. In fact, they all began getting into stances and unsheathing weapons. Celeste looked at her companions in confusion, but after a still silence, it happened.

A horde of the strangest beings she ever saw came rushing towards their group. They all had rather large mouths with pointed teeth and blades protruding from their flesh. Their overall appearance screamed savage and bloodthirsty to her.

'_Yeah, I'm getting the hell out of the way_,' she thought before running away from the hideous creatures. She took a brief glance behind her to see the two sides collide, but once she turned back around she came face to face with one of the things.

"Oh, shit!" she shrieked as it swung its bladed arm at her.

On instinct, Celeste ducked and kicked it in the groin as hard as she could. It doubled-over and she gave it another kick to the face, knocking onto the ground. She then stomped on its throat until it stopped moving, before looking around for somewhere to wait out the wave. However, she remembered that unless she either went into the house or climbed a tree, there was really nowhere to hide.

The brunette sighed and took notice of the occurring battle. The warriors were disposing of the gruesome humanoids, but not quickly enough. She was presented with a choice. She could somehow assist or she could leave them to fend for themselves, since they were a hell of a lot better at fighting than she was, after all.

'_But it wouldn't be right, and I can still do_ something _to help at least,_' she conluded looking at her hands. She bit her lip and sighed. '_I really shouldn't and this is probably going to end very badly, but whatever happens just happens_.'

And with that, she ran towards the skirmish, grabbing hold of the first creature she saw, her eyes faintly glowing as its energy started transferring into her. It struggled for freedom but ultimately lost consciousness or died, she didn't really know. Celeste released her hold, letting its body drop to the ground, and searched for her next target.

* * *

Kung Lao watched the halves of the Tarkatan slumped to the ground in a bloody heap. It was the fourth one he sliced in half with his hat in a matter of mere moments. Personally, he preferred sorting things out in a more peaceful manner, but this was an exception. These things could care less for reason and they were attacking not only his comrades but also Earthrealm, two of his buttons that should never be pressed.

The Shaolin scanned the scene for any others, briefly observing some of the action around him in the process. He noticed Master Bo' Rai Cho staggering around yet defeating oncoming Tarkatans with his Drunken Fist style, Sub-Zero slashing through his opponents with the Kori blade, and Scorpion dragging his opponents to him with this spear.

"We will have victory!" one of the Tarkatans cried out while charging Kung Lao. The Shaolin quickly spun out of the way and sliced him through him with his hat.

'_Lord_ _Raiden, where are you?_' was all he could think as he continued to cut through nearby Tarkatans, hoping that the thunder god didn't stay away for too much longer.

* * *

Li Mei gasped as she braced for impact as she hit the ground. One of the Tarkatans stabbed her through the arm. Although she had seemingly taken care of it, another had punctured her thigh and slashed her across her abdomen. It now stood over her preparing to drive it's blade through her once more. Partially immobilized and bleeding, the woman anticipated the blow, but it never came.

Just as the Tarkatan launched downward, someone grabbed his forearms and soon after snapped his neck with a loud crack. His flimsy body fell over and hit the ground with a thud. Behind him stood Celeste, baring several cuts and scrapes on her face and arms.

"Oh god! Are you okay?" she gasped upon seeing the Outworlder with gashes on her stomach, arm, and leg. The woman weakly smiled and nodded but soon coughed up a bit of blood. Distress shot through Celeste's body. She didn't know how deep those gashes were, but she knew they needed to be treated soon.

'_Where's the Neosporin and Band-Aids when you need them_?' she mentally sighed in exasperation.

She really didn't have anything useful on her person and they were still surrounded by whatever those humanoid creatures were, though there numbers were waning, so the others wouldn't be of much help. The brunette looked down at her tank top.

'_Got it_!' She thought in delight before ripping away parts of the fabric and wrapping them around Li Mei's arm. However, she knew it wasn't going to be enough for the other wounds, but it was all she had.

Her thoughts were temporarily interrupted by the electricity that shot through the air. Amongst the bloodshed now stood Raiden. He quickly began disposing of the Tarkatans, electrocuting them with his lightning, causing them to start fleeing.

"Thunder god, you and your followers will snivel in defeat before the Empress!" hissed one of the Tarkatans, whom Raiden recognized as Baraka, as he and the remaining few Tarkatans retreated through the forest.

The thunder god studied the warriors before him. While everyone seemed to have sustained some injury, the majority only had shallow cuts and stabs, yet a select few suffered far worse. Raiden inwardly groaned. He'd taken too long on his errands and it cost the warriors.

"Raiden! Li Mei's… We need to help her!" Celeste cried, running to the god. Everyone turned their attention to a bloody and now unconscious Li Mei. Raiden walked over and scooped the woman up from the ground.

"I know where we can seek aid, but we must be quick. Hold on," he commanded. Nearly everyone grabbed onto someone else and in a brilliant flash, they were gone yet resurfaced in a few minutes.

Once the light subsided, Celeste opened her eyes and took in their new surroundings. The landscape was absolutely gorgeous and momentarily relieved her of her anxiety. The grasses, trees, and distant mountains were all very lush and green. Flowers of various sizes and colors swayed back and forth in the soft, warm breeze. She had never laid eyes on such beauty in her entire life. In fact, this was her first time in this mesmerizing world, but it somehow felt strangely familiar to her in a sense.

"Raiden, where are we?" the brunette asked the god, her eyes still running over this new land.

He looked behind him to the young woman and simply replied, "We are in the realm of Edenia."

* * *

**A/N: Did you guys enjoy the scene of Fire v. Ice? I hoped you would, and who knows. Perhaps there'll be more to come in the future. **

**Also, welcome to Edenia! We're going to be here for a good while. I will go on and say that what occurs in Edenia will be very important. A bit of backstory here and some revelation there, just to keep everyone on their toes.**

**And once again… Many thanks to anyone who has reviewed and/or will review. I love hearing feedback and suggestions for you all! It really does help.**

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	7. A Queen's Promise

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for language.  
**

* * *

Celeste sat on the golden window sill, her eyes scanning what appeared to be a common room of some sort. The walls were painted teal and decorated in numerous gold ornaments. In the middle of the room was an oval mahogany table with matching set of a dozen golden-cushioned chairs and a gold chandelier hanging over the table. While the room was a pretty sight, it didn't even come close to comparing with the rest of the Edenian palace, or at least what she saw of it.

'_Never thought I'd be in the home of actual royalty. Just to think, it took a gazillion slashes, several minor stabs, and the near-death of a friend for it to happen,_' the brunette thought to herself, letting a bitter laugh escape her lips.

The Earthrealmers spent the past two hours having their wounds treated. Upon their arrival, they were greeted inside of the main corridor by a beautiful woman dressed in blue and black—later revealed to be Kitana, the Princess of Edenia. She and a pair of guards ushered everyone to their rooms where they would be cared for. The majority of the injured only needed their wounds to be cleaned and bandaged, with the exception of Li Mei, whose gashes were _still_ being tended to.

Celeste sighed once again and leaned back against the window. Sure, she was mostly fine, having only needed some bandages and tiny set of stitches on the shallow slit across her chest (though it remained a mystery to her as to how she managed to avoid being completely sliced and diced during the fight), but Li Mei was far from okay. The woman lost so much blood by the time they had arrived at the palace that she went into shock.

'_Why didn't I find her sooner? I could have done so much more,_' the brunette tried to reason with herself, but deep down she knew she couldn't really have done much more for the Outworld native.

After a few more minutes of brooding passed, Celeste heard the mahogany door open. Her eyes darted to see Kitana stepping through, now wearing lavender clothing. Once through the door, the woman noticed Celeste sitting in the window to her right.

"Ah, so here you are. You and the hellspawn seemingly disappeared into thin air, and Sub-Zero feared that you were with him," she said after the door closed behind her. A chestnut brow arched at her words. Of course, Celeste was not surprised that Scorpion was missing. He didn't want to be dragged along anyway, but she held onto him at Raiden's orders before they teleported.

'_I really should have left his surly ass behind_,' she thought with a shake of her head before responding to the princess.

"Heh, I'm afraid not. Once I was stitched up, I left my room and wandered here. I wanted to stretch my legs, I guess," she said with a slight shrug.

"I see. I gather the Lin Kuei seems to worry about you quite a bit, but no one can blame him. That hellspawn _cannot _reason and has _no_ sense of respect for anyone, not _even _royalty," Kitana scoffed, thinking back to an earlier exchange she had with the spectre.

"No surprise there. Then again, he and I aren't on very good terms right now, but I guess it's the same with everyone else, except maybe Raiden," Celeste muttered, shrugging.

"I am quite sure even the thunder god has issues with the hellspawn, but never mind that," Kitana said with a wave of her hand, remembering her promise to her mother, Sindel.

"Would you like to go for a walk? Perhaps see more of Edenia, though this realm is very similar to yours," she suggested to the younger brunette, who thought on the offer.

"I suppose," was her reply after a few moments. "Where would I be going?"

"The temple, but you will be in the company of Jade and myself, or rather, I will be in the company of Jade and yourself. The head priest has requested my presence, and I would like for you to join Jade and I. It will not take long and it may provide a distraction for you," explained the Edenian princess.

'_Hm, perhaps it might help me clear my head, and it's better than just sitting here, I guess,' _Celeste thought to herself. After a nod, she scooted off of the window sill and walked out of the room with Kitana.

* * *

Raiden stood near a door with nearly all of the warriors present in front of him. Kung Lao, Bo' Rai Cho, Kenshi, Sub-Zero, Sonya Blade, Jax, and Johnny Cage were dispersed around the room, whereas Li Mei was currently resting, Celeste recently departed with Kitana and Jade, and Scorpion disappeared earlier, which everyone expected to happen sooner or later. The thunder god's eyes moved from person to person, taking in all of the bandages and bruises before addressing them.

"I must apologize to you all. I failed to return before the Tarkatans struck," he said solemnly.

"Raiden, it is all right. No one here is dead. Yes, we almost lost Li Mei but she is strong and will make it through," Bo' Rai Cho countered.

"We will all be fine," Kenshi assured, nodding in agreement with the Outworld trainer.

"Yeah, of course, but hey, where'd you go for so long, Sparky?" asked the actor, causing Raiden's eyes to narrow slightly at the silly nickname. He would never understand how Johnny Cage concocted such strange names nor did he ever want to.

"I had an audience with the Elder Gods. I tried to convince them that we would need their aid, but they dismissed my claim. Since Shao Kahn and Shinnok no longer remain threats, they believe we are no longer in danger, despite my sharing the results of my vision with them," the thunder god sighed, not noticing the looks on the warrior's faces.

"Raiden, what else have you seen?" Kung Lao hastily questioned. Almost instantly, all eyes focused on Raiden.

"There is to be a devastating battle ahead of us. Everyone here will serve as participants, myself included. Because of such, I know it will not happen during the tournament. However, I do not know for sure when it occurs, only that it is coming," he explained, the air soon filled with rather loud sighs in response.

"Are you serious, Raiden? Do you know who's behind it or at least _where_ this is happening?" snapped a furious Sonya.

"I do not yet know who, but the surroundings suggest this will occur in Outworld," Raiden replied, looking to Sonya.

There was a lengthy silence as everyone reflected upon the thunder god's words. It vexed them to know that yet _another_ dilemma was about to unfold itself. There seemed to be too many things occurring in such a short amount of time. Of course, Raiden admitted to not knowing the exact time. This could happen tomorrow, a few months from now, or even in a couple of years, but one thing was for sure: they all needed to be ready. Rest and relaxation would have to wait.

* * *

Celeste stood along with Kitana and another woman in green—whom Kitana called Jade—waiting for a novice to fetch the head priest. In this particular room, everything from the floor to the ceiling was made of some kind of stone that resembled marble. It appeared to be smooth and even soft to the touch. For light, a chandelier hung overhead and silver candles lined the walls. Everything together just made one eerie combination.

"Forgive me for making you wait, Princess. I did not know when to expect your arrival," said a man dressed in a light gray robe as he bowed.

"It is fine, High Priest Tarjien, and you do not have to bow," Kitana remarked. Tarjien retained his straight posture and nodded to her. "Now, what ails you?"

"Yes, there is a slight pressing issue that's come about, I'm afraid, but may we discuss these matters elsewhere? I do not wish to worry the novices with such things." The priest requested, a slight trace of anxiety in his voice.

"Of course," Kitana replied before turning to Celeste. "My apologies, but Jade and I need to speak with the priest. Please wait for us here. We will be prompt," she murmured to the younger brunette. Celeste nodded and with that, the priest led Kitana and Jade through a door towards the back of the room.

Celeste walked outside and stood near a statue of some woman, figuring she'd stay there. While waiting, she surveyed the landscape, still captivated by the sheer natural beauty of the place. However, as her green eyes swept over a few trees she noticed something in the distance.

'_What is that?' s_he thought to herself, eyes glued to the object. The brunette took a step closer, intrigued. '_I could always check and see… Ugh, but I need to stay here and wait for Kitana and Jade,_' she mentally groaned, shaking her head.

With some effort, she turned her back to the trees, determined to stay put, which lasted for all of five minutes. With a sigh, she turned back around to the trees.

"Maybe there's no harm in dashing over for a bit," she said to herself, her curiosity bubbling up inside of her. After seeing no sign of the Edenian women, Celeste set off for the trees.

* * *

Scorpion leaned back against a tree in the forest with his arms crossed. A short while passed since he left the palace after a rather hostile conversation with Kitana, who tried her best to keep him confined against his will.

The princess demanded everyone stay inside of the palace until their wounds were treated, but it seemed unnecessary for him to linger around since he wasn't touched while fighting the Tarkatan scum. But no. She annoyingly insisted he stay, and when he refused, she deemed it fitting to (loudly) demand he respect her since he was subject to her in her realm. After telling her to fuck off, he left, leaving the bitch gawking at him speechless.

'_How in hell did I even end up here to begin with_?' the spectre mentally spat, remembering that he did _not_ grab onto anyone at Raiden's request before they were all transported to Edenia. Then he remembered there being a hand on his arm. _Her _hand. _She_ dragged him here.

It honestly amazed him how one brat could cause someone so much trouble. What equally astounded him was how Raiden and his lot were all so determined to protect the girl, but why? She wasn't much of an asset. The only thing useful he saw her do was snap a Tarkatan's neck _after _she drained it, proving that she was pitiful without her little ability.

The spectre huffed and balled his hands into fists. These past events only further proved to be a waste of his time that should have been used to kill that bastard Quan Chi. In fact, the idea of leaving this realm altogether and resuming his search in the Netherrealm flashed through his mind, but something told him that the wretched necromancer would not be there. Scorpion turned and punched the tree in frustration before walking off. He be damned if he was going to continue wasting time like this.

* * *

It took quite a bit to reach what she was looking for. Apparently it was a lot further than what it appeared to be. As she drew closer, Celeste realized that what she saw used to be a hut.

'_It's pretty much gone to hell now,_' she thought with a sigh, looking at the rubble in disappointment.

If she knew that this was what she was going to find, she would have never left the temple. However, she knew it wasn't true. She still would have come over to inspect. Oddly enough, she admittedly felt drawn to the spot.

"But there's absolutely nothing here," she grumbled, kicking over a piece of singed wood, flipping it over.

When it landed on its other side, Celeste made out some sort of strange writing, or what remained of it anyway. Between the wood being mostly charred and the writing half-faded away, it was difficult to read, but she could tell it was a woman's handwriting. However, whoever lived in the hut or owned it obviously wasn't coming back, so there was it was no use sticking around. The brunette flared her nostrils and left.

Once the temple was in sight, Celeste saw Kitana and Jade standing near the statues, seemingly chatting with each other. As she approached them, they turned and looked at her, both women gave her disapproving looks.

"Someone has trouble staying put," Jade remarked with a hand on her hip.

"Indeed. Where did you wander off to?" Kitana asked the girl. Celeste inwardly sighed and raked a hand through her hair.

"I saw something in the distance and wanted to check it out. I thought it wouldn't take long, but it was not as close as I'd thought," she explained to the Edenians.

"Oh? What did you see?" inquired Jade, a look of slight interest on her face.

"A pile of rubble. I assumed it used to be someone's house or something. Would either of you happen to know about it?" Celeste asked, feeling oddly hopeful.

"I do not, but perhaps my mother will. Ask her once we return to the palace. I have a feeling that she would love to meet you," The princess suggested before she and Jade began walking away. Celeste narrowed her eyes ever-so-slightly at Kitana's words but kept silent and followed the Edenians.

* * *

The brunette once again found herself sitting in a large window sill, yet this one was in one of the corridors of the palace instead of the teal room. Like every night, her eyes were to the sky. It may have made her seem weird to the others, but this was how she relaxed and figured things out.

Some time ago, she and the others, aside for Li Mei, gathered in the dining hall for dinner, in which the main course was some kind of stew and tart pastries for dessert. This also provided Celeste the opportunity to see Queen Sindel, who was absolutely flawless like every other Edenian she'd seen thus far. However, she didn't get the chance to speak with the woman, and as far as she could tell the queen wasn't too interested in meeting her as Kitana suggested, though the woman seemed to stare at her a lot. After everyone ate and dispersed, Celeste noticed just how perfect the view of the moon was from this window and sat there.

"Hey, you feeling okay there, dollface?" Celeste looked over to see Johnny Cage standing next to the window and mentally sighed.

"Yeah, I'm good," she replied, secretly wondering how she'd failed to notice the presence of the actor.

"Just checking. Can't have a frown messing up that pretty little face of yours." He smiled, showing off his pearly whites. With much restraint, the brunette managed to give him a tight smile and instead of a punch to the face.

"Mhm, I just like looking at the moon and stars at night. It helps me think," she politely explained, turning her head back to the window, hoping the man would take the hint and leave. She honestly didn't feel like dealing with his flirtatious antics at the moment.

"Oh, now that's—"

"Cage! What _exactly_ do you think you're doing?" Celeste whipped back around to see Sonya standing there holding Johnny by his collar. "Just leave her alone. She doesn't want to be bothered with the likes of you!" the blonde hissed as she forcefully tugged the actor over a few steps.

'_Well, so much for a peaceful night,_' the brunette mentally groaned with a slight shake of her head.

Although she was grateful for Sonya's intervention, Celeste didn't have the will to deal with the blonde either. She scooted off of the window sill and explained that she was going to prepare for bed before quickly running off, making sure neither would have the chance to question her. After turning the corner, she saw Sindel gazing nostalgically at a man's portrait, but the woman saw her before she had a chance to make it to her room and open her door.

"Oh, I didn't mean to disturb you," she murmured, standing somewhat awkwardly. Sindel only smiled.

"It is fine. You did not disturb me," she assured the brunette in front of her. Celeste nodded and continued to her door, only to be stopped by the Sindel's voice.

"Kitana informed me that you wished to speak with me about something. What was it, child?"

Celeste closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. Normally, being called "child" would piss her off, but seeing that this was the Queen of Edenia, who addressed _everyone_ in this manner, she was okay with it. After closing her eyes for a moment, Celeste turned to face the Edenian royal.

"Truthfully, it really wasn't that important. I found the rubble of what I thought was once a hut. I ask Kitana and Jade if they knew anything about it, and Kitana told me to ask you," the brunette explained with a shrug.

"Rightfully so, I believe. I know quite a bit about it and even the woman who once used that space," Sindel explained and continued upon noticing the glint in Celeste's eyes. "She was a powerful sorceress and quite gifted at healing and predicting future events."

"What was her name? What happened to her?" Celeste questioned, overtaken by her curiosity.

"Her name was Panedere, and as for the latter, I am sorry to say I do not know exactly what happened to her. However, I am in possession of something of hers that may interest you. Would you care to see?" the woman asked Celeste, whose green eyes lit up with excitement.

"I would love to!" she cried, causing Sindel's smile to widen.

"Of course. This way, child," Sindel responded as beckoned Celeste to follow her.

The two walked around a corner and up a flight of stairs. Sindel led the brunette through a short hallway, having only three doors: one to the left, one to the right, and one ahead. Like the other doors in the palace, these were made of mahogany but unlike the others, they had gold patterns across the top and bottom. Sindel led the brunette to the one on the right and held up her hand, motioning for the Celeste to stay put before opening the door and slipping inside.

Moments later, Sindel emerged from the door with something hanging from her hand. It appeared to be a rather precious necklace of some sort. The chain was made of pure silver with a star-shaped charm dangling from it. A large garnet was embedded into the center of the charm, with what looked like quartz and tourmaline stones implanted into the surrounding points.

"This was Panedere's. She would always wear it, but once she decided to part with it, she gave it to me," Sindel announced, holding out the amulet to the brunette. Celeste cautiously eyed the charm, but soon gave into her desire and reached for it. As soon as she touched the amulet, there was a tiny buzz of some sort that raced through her hand.

"What the hell?" she shrieked, quickly drawing her hand away from the strange charm. Sindel only chuckled.

"Do not fret, child. The amulet will not harm you. It only merely recognizes you," Sindel explained, still holding the amulet out to Celeste. The brunette's eyes flickered from the charm to Sindel.

"I beg your pardon? This is my first time seeing the thing, so how could it _possibly_ recognize me?" She asked in utter confusion then thought herself, '_Yeah, this woman's got to be tripping balls.'_

Sindel chuckled once again before answering, "Because Panedere's blood runs through your veins. She was your mother."

* * *

**A/N: So let the unveiling of Celeste's true identity begin! I hope everyone's prepared for this lovely rollercoaster ride. It's going to be a crazy one!  
**

**(And please note that the amulet is not a typical star shape. It has eight points instead of five.)**

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	8. The Star-Shaped Key

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for some adult language.  
**

* * *

"Whoa, what? My _what_?" Celeste gasped with widened eyes. "No way! I _know_ my mother and her name sure as hell isn't Panedere!" she hissed, taking a step back. Sindel shook her head but kept a steady gaze on the brunette before her.

"Your biological mother _was _indeed Panedere. She may not have raised you, but I assure you it was because of circumstance. Her greatest wish was to be a part of your life, but fate would not permit it," the Edenian queen explained. Celeste opened her mouth to dispute Sindel, but decided against it. She instead stood there staring at the floor, her mind steadily processing thought after thought.

The past couple of moments served to flip her world upside-down. One minute, she was simply a young college student who had been caught up in some strange shit that only Hollywood could think up, and the next, she is told that she is the daughter of a woman who lived in another world. What in the hell?

'_No fucking way is this true!_' the brunette mentally spat, reaching her conclusion.

However, something else was there, reminding her of everything that proved Sindel could very well be telling the truth. This voice made her remember just how vastly different from everyone else back home and how she felt a connection to Edenia. Likewise, it reminded her of her strange fascination with everything concerning Pandere, such as her hut and her amulet. Though Celeste tried to ignore this other voice, she could not. It made sense and she hated it.

'_Isn't this just peachy?_' Celeste thought bitterly to herself as moisture began welling up in her eyes, but she refused to cry. Not in front of this woman. She may not have been able to stop herself in front of the cryomancer, but she was determined to keep it in this time, or at least until she was alone again. After a deep, calming breath, Celeste returned her gaze to the royal.

"Alright, you said that Panedere wanted to be around but couldn't. Why not? What happened?" she asked dryly.

"That is something you must learn for yourself," Sindel responded.

"And exactly how am I supposed to do that?" Celeste inquired matter-of-factly with narrowed eyes.

"The amulet, child. It will be your link to Panedere. My main purpose in this entire ordeal was to ensure you received it," the woman clarified, holding out the charm. Celeste eyed it but did not reach for it.

"Last time I touched that thing, it shocked me," the brunette muttered, causing Sindel to sigh in exasperation.

"It will not harm you, just the opposite. It is meant to serve as your guide and help you uncover what you are truly capable of. This was your mother's gift to you. Please, take it," the royal encouraged, still holding the amulet.

Celeste once again looked at the necklace and after a while, slowly reached for it. Once her fingers touched the cool silver, she realized that she wasn't going to be shocked this time. She then carefully took the amulet from Sindel and held it in her own hands.

"Is anything supposed to happen?" she asked while studying the charm.

"No, not instantaneously. It will take time and would best serve you if you wore it every day as Panedere did," the queen insisted. The brunette only nodded, her green orbs still focused on the necklace.

"Now, I have told you all that I can for the time being. Should anything else puzzle you, seek out Raiden. I bid you a fair night and will see you again soon." And with that, Sindel gave the brunette a quick nod and entered her chambers.

Celeste stood in place studying the amulet for a moment or two more. She wasn't surprised that Raiden already knew about this ordeal, and though many questions still remained, she figured she would get _some _sleep at least before talking to the god. Of course, this only meant she would also have to tell everyone else as well.

'_Brilliant. Just simply brilliant,_' she mentally sighed as she began walking back to her room. She could only hope that the future conversation wouldn't lead to anything dramatic, but deep down, she sincerely doubted it.

* * *

Life was amusing, or at least _he_ thought so. Just nearly a year ago, he'd succeeded in restoring the fallen Elder God's state and helped kill Earthrealm's most valuable warrior. Yet, today, he was in _hiding_ in Outworld. What made the entire situation ironic, or very unfortunate, was that he was hiding from a man that once served him, but all was certainly not lost. Being the cunning man he was, Quan Chi always had a trick hidden in his sleeve. This time was no different.

After he escaped Scorpion's grasp in the Netherrealm, he found himself in Outworld, where he discovered tomb of the great Dragon King, Onaga. On the tomb, there was writing not only describing an indestructible army that could be resurrected but also a method in which to enhance his powers. It was then that this plan was hatched.

Being a necromancer, Quan Chi could definitely revive the fallen army and also put the warriors under his control. Given the current situation with Mileena being focused on her preparations for Mortal Kombat and his reluctant ally—fellow sorcerer Shang Tsung—being occupied with his obsession over some girl, he was presented with the perfect opportunity to see the plan through without interruption. Soon, he would be in control of an invincible army and would take everything for himself. After all, no one would even come close to a match for him once it was all said and done.

* * *

Forest green eyes slowly opened to the sight of a bright, golden light saturating the room. Of course, the owner of said eyes wasn't particularly happy that daybreak already came, but what could she have done about it? It wasn't as if she could mess with time or anything, though a few more hours of sleep would have been heavenly.

Celeste stretched and let out a yawn before sitting up. She managed to scoot towards the edge of the bed and slowly stand up, stifling another yawn in the process. Upon standing, she noticed folded clothing in the chair next to the door. The brunette walked towards the chair and realized that they were just the clothes she wore when arriving in Edenia, only now they were clean.

'_Well, most of them anyway,_' she thought when she noticed her tank top was missing. She, however, assumed it was trashed since it was mostly shredded to hell anyway.

Instead, in its place was a corseted, burgundy halter top with silver trimming on the straps. Celeste also found a pair of long, black socks, probably thigh-length, and a pair of black boots beside the chair. She picked up the clothing and headed for the bathing room. Once bathed and clothed, Celeste took the orange robe she slept in and placed it in the chair her clothes previously lay folded.

While opening the door, she noticed a tiny sparkle coming from the other side of the room. She turned to see the amulet still lying on the nightstand. With a sigh, she walked over and placed the charm in her pocket before leaving the room. She walked down the corridor, going over possible scenarios in her head of her future conversation with her companions, until she noticed that the door she was currently passing led to Li Mei's room.

Since receiving care for her wounds, she hadn't been able to see the Outworlder. Kitana requested that everyone allow the woman to rest so the medicines she was given would have a greater effect, but that was hours ago. Celeste couldn't deny that she was still worried about Li Mei and wanted to see how her friend was doing.

'_Surely it wouldn't hurt to peek in and see if she's okay,_' she pondered, as she reached for the knob.

However, before she could turn it, Celeste saw something blue moving out of the corner of her eye. She dropped her hand and looked over to see Sub-Zero walking up the corridor, his cerulean eyes on her.

'_Déjà vu_,' the brunette thought to herself, suppressing a smirk while walking to meet the cryomancer.

"Good morning. How are you?" she asked, smiling at him.

Sub-Zero's eyes scanned over the brunette noting the various bandages on her face, chest, and arms. Though she acquired quite a few scrapes none of them seemed serious, for which he was thankful for.

"I am well, and yourself?" he replied, blue orbs meeting green ones.

"I'm good, I suppose. Things are a bit complicated, though, with what's happened in the past couple of hours. I figure I'll fill everyone in once I find Raiden," she revealed with a slight shrug before sticking her hands in her pockets.

"I see," was all he said, choosing to keep his concerns to himself. Although Celeste seemed upbeat, he could tell that she was disguising her anxiety because it showed in her eyes, but he would not ask her about it. He knew she disliked repeatedly explaining her feelings, so he would be patient and wait for her to tell everyone as a whole.

"So, I have a random request. Help me find Raiden?" the brunette inquired with a lop-sided smile. The cryomancer nodded in agreement without hesitation, and they began their search for the thunder god.

* * *

Celeste stood near the door, looking at the warriors crowded around the small room. She figured it would be best to get everything out in the open at once. Everyone was present except the Edenians, Li Mei, and Scorpion, but that was to be expected. Almost all eyes were on her, and although it made her a little nervous, she met their stares anyway.

"First, I want to say that I know inviting everyone here like this was strange, but I felt it'd be much easier to get this all out at once," the brunette explained to the group, many of which either raised their brows or looked to the next person in confusion.

"Please, say what's on your mind," Kenshi encouraged with a hint of a smile.

'_It's now or never_," she thought to herself before addressing the others.

"You see, there's an issue with my ability. Originally, I was only going to discuss this with Raiden before everyone else was dragged into it, only to figure out something so I could keep training. But now, things are an even bigger mess than before," Celeste muttered.

"What exactly is this issue?" came a voice from the opposite side of the room. Green eyes fell upon the inquisitor, Kung Lao. The brunette closed her eyes and sighed, but still replied.

"Well, after I drain someone, I have dream-like visions about them. It's like I'll see everything through their eyes and feel what they feel. It doesn't happen every single time, but frequently enough that I don't like using my power," she explained to the small group in front of her.

"That doesn't seem too bad, though. Right?" the actor asked.

"You would think so, but I have no say in what I get to see, and it typically ends up being some horrible shit," she grumbled, keeping her eyes on him.

"But you haven't really used it tho—"

"Except I have, on Scorpion," she retorted, interrupting the entertainer.

"You saw?" The question came from Raiden, though it sounded more like a statement. Celeste's eyes momentarily met the thunder god's, and what he saw in her eyes was enough to confirm his and everyone else's suspicions.

"It wasn't pretty," she whispered then adverted her gaze to the chandelier.

Sub-Zero watched Celeste with concern. He secretly feared her powers would be her end, in one manner or another. He saw it happen too many times before. Although hers may be more of a psychological end rather than physical, it worried him nonetheless.

"Raiden, is there not some way to remedy this?" the cryomancer asked the god but kept his eyes on Celeste.

"There is, but Celeste must discover it for herself," the thunder god replied. Upon hearing his words, the brunette perked up and darted hopeful eyes to Raiden's person.

"Really? Tell me how? Please!" she pleaded, taking a few quick steps towards Raiden.

"The amulet you received from Sindel is your key. Your mother wanted nothing more than to guide and protect you," he replied in a somber tone, unbeknown to the looks of confusion on the warriors' faces.

"Wait a minute! You mean to tell us that _Sindel_ is Celeste's mother? So that makes her Edenian _and_ Kitana's sister!" cried Sonya, her eyes wide with shock.

'_How the hell did she even get that_?' the brunette pondered in puzzled amusement.

"No, Sindel isn't my mother but apparently she knew her," Celeste sighed before continuing. "My mom actually was some Edenian woman named Panedere, or so I've been told," she mumbled, suppressing an eye-roll.

"Panedere was not just _any_ woman. She was a sorceress who rivaled others such as Delia, Quan Chi, and _even _Shang Tsung in magical prowess. She did everything in her power to keep both you and Edenia safe. The amulet you now have was crafted by her own hands in such a way that it would not only strengthen your abilities but also aid you in discovering who you really are," Raiden remarked while keeping steady eye-contact with Celeste, noting a familiar, momentary flash in her eyes. He couldn't help but to silently chuckle, recognizing that same glint of irritation from Panedere's eyes.

"Okay and exactly _how _is this thing supposed to help me?" Celeste asked in annoyance as she reached into her pocket and yanked out the amulet, ignoring the reactions of the others in the room. She knew that they were probably all in some state of confusion or shock, but in _that _moment, she didn't care. She was tired of people beating about the damn bush. Someone needed to actually answer her about the amulet.

"All I can tell you is that you must wear it," was Raiden's reply, causing Celeste to loudly snort.

As much as she wanted to scream, throw something, or even punch the thunder god in the face, Celeste kept her composure. She decided she would wear the damned amulet and see if anything would happen after a while. If not, she planned on meeting with Raiden or Sindel again in the _very_ near future.

"Fine. I'll wear it," she muttered in defeat with a slight shake of her head.

"Everyone, I'm sorry for this, but thank you for showing up anyway. I'm going to go clear my head for a bit," she said, addressing the warriors. After a nod to her companions, Celeste turned and left the room, her walk conveying that she wanted to be left alone and would maul anyone who dare follow her.

* * *

Once back in her room, Celeste headed straight for the bed. She sat down on the white linen and began unzipping and removing her boots. As soon as the boots were off, she fell back onto the bed, her gaze hitting the ceiling. She stayed like that for a few minutes, deciding what to do.

"Actually, a nap sounds wonderful right now," she whispered to herself as her eyes followed the wavy pattern of the molding where the wall met the ceiling.

With a sigh, she rolled onto her side, but felt something poking her leg. Knowing what it was, she reached into her pocket and removed the amulet. She brought the charm to eye-level and studied it for a moment before eventually putting it on. She snorted at a stray thought and closed her eyes, drifting to sleep soon after.

* * *

**A/N: Firstly, I'd like to thank those of you still with me. I know this chapter wasn't exciting as past ones, but there's a major point the explanations. After all, the amulet is going to be a very important factor to the outcome of this story, if you haven't already guessed. It may even be the factor that decides life or death in the end.**

**Just stay tuned. You don't want to miss anything. **

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	9. A Tale Through Different Eyes

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T.  
**

* * *

_She sat on the cold, marble bench in the courtyard, her burgundy hair softly drifting in the midday breeze. She kept her golden eyes focused on a tiny pink flower, observing the way it danced back and forth as she awaited her summoning. Though she was surrounded by serene beauty, she was not comforted in the least. She knew if her predictions came to pass, it would all soon be coming to an end. _

_"His Majesty and his Queen will now see you," a masculine voice boomed through the air. Gold eyes flickered from the flower to the two palace guards standing shoulder-to-shoulder. The men kept straight faces while regarding her, but she knew both were secretly admiring her, as many others often did. A couple of millennia ago and she would have been somewhat flustered, but thirty-six millennia of the same thing got old. _

_With a tiny smirk spreading on her red-painted lips from the thought, she carefully stood to her feet then walked to the guards. After nodding her greeting, the men turned away and ushered her from the courtyard to the throne room._

_Outside of the huge mahogany doors to the throne room stood two other guards, who opened the doors for the King's expected guest. The woman gracefully strode through the doors, her orange, flowing dress trailing behind her. Once at the foot of the stairs leading to the thrones, she knelt before her sovereigns._

_"Lady Panedere, you may rise and speak," the King commanded with his deep baritone. Panedere stood then addressed the royalty._

_"King Jerrod and Queen Sindel, I first thank you for accepting my request for an audience, but I am afraid that what I have to say will not bring joy," the woman frowned._

_"What is it that you must share with us, lady sorcerer?" Sindel asked, her black irises meeting gold ones._

_"A great evil lurks on the horizon and threatens to destroy our ways of peace. I have foreseen a war between our Edenian forces and an army led by a man who calls himself Shao Kahn," the sorceress explained while keeping her hands folded in front of her. The Edenian monarchs eyed the woman with grief-stricken faces._

_"Are you certain, Panedere?" Jerrod questioned. It was not that he doubted her. He knew Panedere was highly gifted in predicting the future and that she did not make intentional false claims. He only wanted to be sure that he had heard her correctly._

_"I am, my king," was her solemn reply as she watched Sindel wrap her arms protectively around her enlarged stomach._

_Jerrod and Sindel sat in silence, reflecting upon the woman's words. They knew enough about Shao Kahn to know the man was an arrogant brute who currently ruled Outworld, which he expanded by merging lesser realms with his. Based on the sorceress' claim, Edenia was his next target and that would very well serve to destroy their land should he succeed._

_"Might you know when this will occur?" Sindel asked Panedere, her eyes staring intently at the sorceress._

_"I do not know, but I can estimate it to be at least three months from now, as you conceived nearly six months ago and your infant daughter appeared in my vision," she replied. _

_"Daughter? We are to have a girl?" the Queen asked with momentary mirth, gazing upon and gently stroking her belly. Panedere couldn't help but to smile at the tender scene, though it caused her mind to wander to another issue, but she quickly set the thought aside. She would think over it after her audience with her sovereigns. _

_"Yes, and I can assure you that no harm comes to her, yet I must strongly urge you to prepare for Shao Kahn. He is not to be taken lightly, although I am sure you both are aware of this fact," the sorceress remarked, gazing forward._

_"We shall prepare at once. You have our gratitude, Lady Panedere. You are dismissed," Jerrod announced. He and Sindel nodded to Panedere, who bowed once more before leaving._

_The sorceress walked back through the mahogany doors, hearing the King call for his general as the door shut behind her. She continued on, retracing her steps through the palace until she was back in the courtyard. She walked to a marble bench and took a seat then allowed her mind to return to her earlier stray thought._

_In conjunction with the visions Panedere had of Edenia's impending demise, there were others, but they were focused solely on her. She foresaw that she as well would soon be in danger, though it was a single man seemingly bringing her to her end rather than an army. Despite not yet knowing the man's name, she knew he was not of Edenian blood and too wielded magic, but a much darker form than her own. This was the part she understood well, yet there was another piece to the puzzle, and she did not know where it fit. This piece was a female child._

_It was not the one that currently grew in Sindel, but her own. She was not currently with child and had not been with any man in quite some time, but the girl was certainly hers. She had her fair skin, her round eyes, her high cheekbones, and her overall delicate appearance. Though she yet knew this girl's fate, Panedere's intuition told her that the girl would be important to Edenia's future, somehow._

_Even if she did not understand things completely, she knew that she needed to act soon and get something in order at least. She could not let time slip away. The fate of Edenia lay in the balance._

* * *

Green eyes popped open to see the ivory ceiling overhead. After a couple of blinks, Celeste sat up on the bed.

'_What_ _in the hell was that about_?' she thought, rubbing her eyes.

Celeste was used to dreaming up strange things before, usually as consequence to her ability, but never something like this. She had been _Panedere_. Sure, by now she should be used to this type of thing, only that it typically happened after she drained someone, and she was pretty damn sure that she _never_ touched Panedere. Then it hit her. The amulet.

The brunette brought the charm to eye-level and glared at it. Nothing seemed to be different about it. It wasn't glowing and it felt the same as it always had, but she knew something was up.

"I don't know what you're playing at, but I'm about to find out," she muttered to the amulet before letting it drop to its original position.

With haste, the girl threw her legs over the side of the bed, put on her boots, and left her room. She knew someone that could answer her questions, and she was about to pay them a visit, whether they wanted it or not.

* * *

The queen and the brunette sat opposite in each other at a small, mahogany table with cups of tea in front of them. They were in another of the common rooms of the palace. Like everywhere else inside palace walls, the furniture was made of mahogany. Yet this particular room was painted a pastel purple and accented with silver, rather than the typical gold.

"Explain what is on your mind, girl," Sindel requested, her black eyes focused on the brunette across from her who almost took a sip of her tea but instead set the cup on the table.

"So, as you suggested, I wore the amulet, but I fell asleep wearing it. I had a dream of Panedere. I guess it has something to with the amulet," Celeste said, though a bit uncertain.

"Yes. It would appear this is how Panedere chose to communicate with you, but it is nothing to be frightened of," Sindel assured before taking a sip of her tea.

"I'm going to have these strange dreams every night now, aren't I?" Celeste asked the Edenian queen, even though she already had an answer in mind.

"I do not know for certain. I can only advise you to continue wearing the amulet if you truly wish to have your questions answered," Sindel replied with a hint of a smile.

Celeste could only sigh and sip her tea. She was annoyed that everything was coming at such a slow rate, but she apparently had no other choice but to grin and bear it. However, she was far from patient and decided to poke a different opening.

"You know, you were also in the dream, as well as someone named Jerrod. Panedere told the two of you about someone named Shao Kahn. What was that about?" the brunette questioned then noticed a flicker of pain in Sindel's eyes as the woman adverted her eyes to her teacup. Celeste could tell that Sindel was uncomfortable, but she answered her nonetheless.

"Jerrod was my husband. Shao Kahn invaded this realm many millennia ago and merged it with Outworld. Jerrod died on the battlefield at the hands of Shao Kahn while trying to prevent such from happening," she explained with her eyes still focused on the cup.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have asked!" Celeste gasped, instantly regretting her question.

"It is okay, child. That it is now the distant past. Shao Kahn has been long defeated and Edenia thrives as it did before him," Sindel said with a wave of her hand as if to swat something away.

"But still, I shouldn't have," the brunette sighed before drinking a little more of her tea.

For a couple of moments Celeste sat there quietly, as did Sindel, though the brunette was sure that the woman was remembering her beloved. She, however, focused on Panedere. Now, there was little doubt in her mind that the woman was her mother. It was still strange in a way.

They looked so much alike since they shared the same facial structure and nearly the exact height but differed in a few ways. Whereas Panedere had lengthy burgundy hair, golden-amber eyes, and more of an hourglass shape, Celeste had wavy chestnut hair, forest green eyes, and a pear-shaped frame. Likewise, Panedere carried herself with a ripe mentality and extreme poise while Celeste acknowledged her moments of immaturity and was only graceful when she tried. Of course, Celeste readily admitted that Panedere was definitely the more elegant of the two.

'_And the girl mentioned at the end had to be me, right?_' She pondered with furrowed brows, unbeknown that she caught Sindel's eye.

"Is there something ailing you?" the woman asked, her voice breaking through the brunette's current thoughts. Celeste blinked then focused her eyes on the queen.

"Oh, I was only deciphering the last part of my dream, where Pane… my _mother_, referenced a girl. She apparently felt the girl was important to Edenia. Since she claimed the girl was hers, then it must be me, right? Unless I have a sister somewhere that I know nothing about," Celeste almost spat with a raised brow.

"You were Panedere's only child, so she was in fact referring to you. Though I know not what the future holds for you, I am certain that you will somehow be of great service to this realm as your mother was, but only time will tell," Sindel commented before standing.

"Let me guess, I have to find out my own," the brunette muttered, also standing.

"I am afraid so, but Raiden and I will help you as much as we are allowed to," the queen smiled and winked at her and left the room before she had the chance to ask anything else.

Celeste inwardly groaned as she watched Sindel leave. She'd come to the conclusion that everyone seemed to love making this a lot more agonizing than it needed to be. Once she finished the remainder of her tea, Celeste too left the room. She figured that she would check up on a friend. At least _that_ would be less frustrating than her current dilemmas, or so she hoped.

* * *

**A/N: Another chapter in the books, no pun intended. I hope everyone enjoyed having a little insight with Pandere. By the way, it's pronounced Pan-neh-dare, and in regard to how she interacted with Jerrod and Sindel, she had a high status in Edenia despite not being of royal blood. Well that and the fact of her being extremely confident and slightly arrogant. **

**Also, I promise that the rest of the story is not going to be focused on Celeste learning her origins. There's a lot that is soon going to occur. I just hope you're all ready for it.**

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	10. Double-Dose of Encouragement

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for adult language and some violence.  
**

* * *

Celeste casually strolled down the corridor as she further studied the amulet. For something so small and precious, it surely caused a lot of confusion. Her talk with Sindel proved to be almost useless, as the Edenian queen mostly told her things that she already knew. However, something told her she should have expected that, really. Sadly, the one thing she was told that she _didn't _alreadyknow was, well, _depressing_.

'_Why is it _always_ the miserable parts of people's lives? Why not something that _doesn't _make me want to be emo?_' she mentally sighed as she continued walking, keeping her eyes on the amulet. Just when she neared the end of the hallway and turned the corner, she bumped into something. Upon contact, Celeste heard a grunt and caught sight of a pair of black and gold tabi boots, noting that she had bumped into _someone _not something. Slowly lifting her gaze, her eyes eventually met a pair of solid white ones.

'_Well, shit,_' she thought to herself as she realized that she'd collided with no one other than Scorpion.

The spectre glared down at the brunette. Of all people, it would be _his_ luck to, quite literally, run into this bothersome girl. Of course, the incident was her fault since she failed to pay any sort of attention to where she was going, which did not surprise him in the least. Either way, the girl was quickly moving up on his list of annoyances.

"I'm so sorry!" she gasped as she took a step back, her wide green orbs taking in the peeved ninja.

"Irritating brat," the spectre spat as he began to walk around her, unaware of the sudden dim glow in her eyes.

Celeste stood there for a moment, her mind lingering on Scorpion's words. While she knew she should have watched where she was going, it didn't give Scorpion the right to be a complete asshole over it. In fact, she was in no mood for his horrible attitude, and though she understood that his hellish life was the cause of it, she still believed that he shouldn't take it out on everyone else every chance he got. Moreover, she had her _own_ problems to focus on _without_ being the target of Scorpion's ridiculous anger issues.

'_And I'm done taking it,_' she mentally hissed, the glow in her eyes intensifying for all of a second, before turning around to face the spectre and addressing him.

"First off, I am a _twenty-one-year-old_ and would love it if you stopped referring to me as a brat. My name is in fact Celeste, so please use it. Secondly, I realize our little collision was my fault and in fact, I even _apologized_ for it but apparently my apologies are _never_ enough for you. Which leads me to wonder what fucking more do you want from me?" she fumed but was_ nowhere_ near done.

"While I understand you've had a fucked up life and you're pissed about it, does it _honestly_ give you the right to be a _fucking dick_ about everything? Is it re—"

"WILL YOU SHUT UP!" the spectre roared, interrupting Celeste's rant by wrapping a hand around her throat and slamming her into the nearby wall. He heard the brunette gasp and saw a brief look of fear in her eyes before something else took over. Pure resentment.

"Go to hell," Celeste managed with throaty snarl, her venomous glare barring into his eyes. Scorpion narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip then slammed her into the wall once more, to which she quickly kicked him hard in the knee in return. Before he could respond to her kick, something crashed into the wall beside them. The spectre glanced down to see ice fragments on the floor and looked behind him to find the cryomancer standing there.

"You _will_ let her go, Scorpion!" Sub-Zero growled at the spectre as the Kori Blade spawned. Scorpion glowered at the rival assassin and threw Celeste onto the floor before entering his own stance. As the two clansmen prepared to clash, there was a flash of lightning between them.

"Enough of this!" Raiden's voice boomed through the corridor as he appeared, giving them looks of disapproval once the light subsided. They stayed in place but continued to glare at each other. They would settle this another time when no one would be there to stop them.

Celeste slowly stood to her feet while gently rubbing at her neck. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than to give Scorpion a swift punch to the face and a hard kick to the groin. While she knew it would be reckless to take on the spectre alone, she honestly could care less at the moment. She glared at the spectre and lounged herself at him only to be caught, thrown over a shoulder, and carried away. Although she still struggled and grabbed for the spectre, it was of no use. She wasn't going to reach him.

Moments later, Celeste found herself sitting on a bed across from her snatcher, Sub-Zero. The room they currently occupied she assumed was his, which was oddly enough painted blue. She sat with her arms and legs crossed, staring at the Lin Kuei with narrowed eyes.

"You could have _at least_ let me kick him in his dick. We _both _know it's what he deserves," she grumbled.

"You would have only suffered more at his hands," the cryomancer sighed, his eyes scanning the red marks on her neck left from Scorpion's fingers. Celeste only "hmphed" and flipped her dark hair over her shoulder.

Sub-Zero watched the young woman intently. Right now, she was refusing to look at him. Those fiery green eyes were focused on the window to her left. Typically, she was calm and playful even. It was very rare for him to ever see her so hostile, but Scorpion _was _there, after all. Much like the time before, he guessed the spectre did or said something to provoke her. He doubted Celeste would be this riled up over nothing.

"You know, a little icy birdy once told me that 'staring is rude,'" the brunette muttered, her eyes now meeting the blue orbs of the cryomancer while she rubbed at her neck.

"Are you in pain?" he asked, taking a sudden step towards Celeste.

"I'm fine!" she snapped then later sighed, realizing that she was taking her frustrations out on a man that only wanted to help her. "I'm sorry, Sub-Zero. You didn't deserve that," she murmured, looking to the Lin Kuei apologetically.

"It is all right," he assured then nodded to her and took a seat beside her.

"No, it's not. I'm being a hypocrite. I just bitched at Scorpion for taking everything out on other people only to later do the same to you," she whispered, looking to the floor. She then felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to meet a pair of vivid blues, finding herself quickly captivated by them.

'_I swear there's a crime for having such beautiful eyes!_' Celeste thought to herself with a smirk, but blushed and looked away once she sensed herself inching closer to the cryomancer, who also noticed the closing distance and drew back, although something inside was displeased with his decision.

"Either way, I'm sorry. It's just I'm having to rediscover myself, and things are crazy enough without throwing Scorpion into the mix. He really needs to see a damn therapist or something, but wait he'd probably just burn the guy to death," she added with a flat laugh while Sub-Zero raised a brow.

"It's going be tough now, but in time, things will get easier. Never lose hope," he encouraged as he kept his eyes on Celeste.

"I'll try to remember that. Thank you, Sub-Zero," she smiled at him then laid her head upon his shoulder, thanking whoever above for his friendship.

* * *

Li Mei lounged back in her bed, propped by pillows. She couldn't stay up on her own just yet without feeling pain in her stomach and thigh, so this was the best alternative for the time being. She looked over to her visitor, beaming. It felt as if it had been forever since she last saw the brunette.

"Well, you look good. How are you feeling?" Celeste asked her as she leaned forward in her chair.

"I'm well. The medicines they've given me really do work but that's to be expected, of course. Edenians have always had their affinities for magic," the Outworld native replied.

"Oh, nifty," the brunette absently remarked, dropping her focus to the ivory carpet.

"Mhm, but are _you_ okay? You've got some nasty marks on your neck, and was that you I heard yelling a while ago?" Li Mei questioned.

"I'm afraid so. I had a run in with Scorpion. Words were exchanged, I was shoved into a wall, et cetera. Sub-Zero and Raiden showed up before anything too serious could happen, though," Celeste explained, her hand involuntarily rubbing over the lines on her neck.

"Oh, thank the Elder Gods! Scorpion has quite a nasty temper and who knows how that could have gone!" the woman exclaimed in a fit of relief.

"Believe me, I know, but I suppose in a way, I also have a short fuse. That or I'm just so stressed. So much has been going on as of late," Celeste near-groaned, raking a hand through her hair.

"So, I've heard. In fact, I heard Kitana and Jade discussing your lineage yesterday as they walked past my room. I take it that this is what has caused you such anxiety?" Li Mei inquired of the brunette beside her. With a sigh, Celeste nodded.

"Yeah, it's exactly _that_. It's been a shock, to say the least, but I guess it's not as bad as when Sindel first told me. Though, my mind is still going haywire. It's like once one line gets tied, there suddenly become three more loose ends. It's crazy," she explained to the Outworlder while gripping the amulet in her hand.

"It will be like that for some time, but you'll make it through. You're a strong girl, Celeste. There's nothing to fear. We're with you, or at least, I can assure you that I most certainly am," Li Mei promised with a smile.

"Thanks, really," the brunette said, returning the gesture.

"No problem! Now, I hate to cut this visit short, but I'm feeling a tad bit sleepy," the woman announced, stifling a yawn. Celeste took the hint and nodded her farewell. She then stood up and headed for the door, leaving her friend in peace.

* * *

The empress sat on her throne with her sharp, orange eyes studying the woman in yellow before her. She knew this woman was not only of Edenian blood, but also extremely gifted in dark magic. Likewise, this woman referred to herself as an 'ambassador' to Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, and since both sorcerers were subject to her rule, this woman would also have no choice but to serve her. It was only fitting, was it not?

"Tanya, is it?"

"It is, Empress," the Edenian replied with a slight bow.

"Well, Tanya, I have requested your presence because I have a particular task planned for you. However, for this mission you will be joined by another," Mileena explained, twirling her dark hair around her fingers.

As if on cue, a shadowy creature rose from the floor beside Mileena's throne. It was then coated in some oily substance before it eventually took form of a man wearing black and having eerie, pale eyes. Even his skin appeared to be as dark as jet. This mysterious man did not speak, but merely stood there. The Tarkatan hybrid glanced at him momentarily then continued talking.

"What I have in store for you will be messy, but I am confident it will not serve as a problem for either of you. Do you accept?" she asked, as if cooperation was optional.

"I do," was the woman's reply as the man only nodded.

Mileena smirked as best she could beneath her mask before discussing the assignment, which was just one, but significant, step in her grand scheme. The smirk grew as she explained the details of her plan. After all, it would only bring her that much closer to acquiring Edenia.

* * *

**A/N: The drama pot is stirring! The drama pot is stirring! Mileena's got something up her sleeve that could spell out disaster, but I guess we'll find out in upcoming chapters. Though I must admit, I can't help but wonder what theories you guys are thinking up. Who knows. You may very well be right.**

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	11. The Unexpected Meeting

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for brief adult language and violence.  
**

* * *

Sonya Blade took a sip of cool water from her canteen, which she recently refilled from a stream. She called for a break not too long ago, giving herself and her opponent a chance to rehydrate and rest. It was quite hot out, almost by _her _standards, but she wasn't about to let the weather stop her from training the brunette. Not when they had such a short time frame.

Over a week ago, Raiden announced that only one month remained until the upcoming Mortal Kombat. Ever since then, all able-bodied warriors resumed with whatever preparations were needed for the tournament. Of course, this now also included Celeste, who had been faithfully training with Sonya, Jax, Kenshi, and Bo' Rai Cho since the announcement.

In order to make her training more efficient, they put her on a schedule. For three days at a time, she would work on her physical training with Sonya and Jax through bouts and sparring. On the following day, she would work with Kenshi and Bo' Rai Cho on strengthening and easing her mind through meditation. So far, it seemed effective enough. It gave Celeste's body time to rest so she wasn't overworked, and the brunette herself seemed to even favor the arrangement.

"Alright, you good to go again?" Sonya asked the brunette, glancing over at her.

"Yeah, I'm ready," she replied after setting her own canteen on the ground.

The two met in the middle of the field before getting into stance and slowly circling each other. Each eyed her opponent, searching for opportunities to strike. Once Celeste believed she had an opening, she threw a punch at Sonya. The blonde ducked then kneed the girl in the abdomen. The brunette doubled over but managed to recover fast enough to knock away an oncoming fist and grab its wrist. She then pulled the blonde into a high kick, her foot connecting to her opponent's skull and knocking the woman back. While Sonya seemed out of it, Celeste tried for another kick only for the blonde to suddenly grab her ankle and yank her forward. The brunette lost balance on her other foot and fell onto the ground with a thump, oblivious of the pair of eyes watching from afar.

* * *

Sub-Zero found himself observing Sonya and Celeste during his break from sparring with Kenshi. He wouldn't hesitate to admit that the brunette was making good progress thus far. After a few bouts, she learned not to rush blindly into a fight, but rather hold back and analyze her opponent before attacking. Likewise, she proved how easily she can adapt to the flow of battle, being able to not only switch between offense and defense when needed but also read her opponent's movements and quickly counter them.

'_In time, she may very well be a force to be reckoned with_,' Sub-Zero thought to himself as he watched Celeste cartwheel out of the way of Sonya's kick and counter with a leg sweep.

"Checkin' out the ladies there, Icicle?" The cryomancer looked over to find Johnny Cage standing there with a cheesy grin on his face.

"I was merely observing their fight and making note of Celeste's progress," Sub-Zero replied with an inward sigh. Leave it to the actor to not only interrupt his train of thought, but also call him by some utterly ridiculous nickname _and _insinuate that he was some sort of pervert.

"Yeah, she's a babe, but she can't compare to my Sonya," the actor remarked. "But I can't help thinking about what her mom must have looked like. I mean, c'mon! Edenian women are _all_ smokin'," he smirked while nudging the cryomancer with his elbow.

A peeved Sub-Zero momentarily glared at Johnny Cage, then closed his eyes and shook his head. With a slight sigh, he turned from the Hollywood star and stalked off, his patience wearing thin.

"Hey, where ya goin'? We're cool, though, right? _Right_?" the actor called after the cryomancer as he followed behind him.

* * *

She took a seat on the marble bench in the courtyard. The air was much cooler than it had been earlier. Of course, night came and the moon and stars now lit up the sky. Despite the serenity of the sight before her, the brunette still felt a knot in her gut, which had been there since she awoke from her dream that morning.

As she suspected, Celeste dreamed about Panedere each night she slept, and so far, every single dream dealt with Shao Kahn's invasion many millennia ago. Though she knew that wearing the amulet to bed was the cause of it, she couldn't stop. Not only did she promise to wear the thing, she also found that something inside of her wanted to see more of whatever Panedere had to show.

'_It's like she's trying to tell me something, but I can't grasp it,_' Celeste thought to herself, examining the amulet. She sat there like that for several minutes until she heard a faint noise behind her. Before she could investigate, she found Sub-Zero standing beside the bench.

"Oh, hey there. You scared me for a second," she confessed, letting the amulet drop to its original position.

"My apologies. That was not my intent," the cryomancer said as his eyes met the brunette's.

"Heh, you're fine," she shrugged before glancing back at the stars, though her mind lingered on the blue-clad assassin beside her.

Celeste couldn't help but notice how much time she seemed to spend around Sub-Zero as of late. Aside from her visits with Li Mei, he was the one she saw most often outside of her training. Of course, she didn't mind at all. She rather enjoyed his company, even_ if_ he barely spoke. It didn't change the fact that she regarded him as a good friend despite not knowing much about him.

'_Hell, I don't even know his actual name_,' the brunette mentally chuckled, but then it set in. She really _didn't_ know the cryomancer's name. '_But it wouldn't hurt to ask, would it_?'

As the thought crossed her mind, Celeste slowly shifted her gaze to the man beside her. After a few moments of debate, she finally reached a decision. She was going to ask Sub-Zero his name.

"Hey," she began, "I've been thinking about something."

"And what is that?" Sub-Zero inquired, his cerulean eyes meeting hers once again.

"Well, what's your name? I understand this is a bold request since I'm sure the Lin Kuei probably has a strict policy about revealing personal information, but I'm just very curious because I'm sure that Sub-Zero is a codename of some sort," Celeste explained, looking to the cryomancer with bright eyes, but he stood there quietly for what seemed like an eternity, causing her to direct her gaze away.

"My name is Kuai-Liang," he said, finally ending the silence.

'_Whoa, he actually told me his name? He trusts me enough to tell me his name,_' the brunette thought as a smile crept onto her face.

"Well then, I feel that it's only fair to tell you my full name as well. I'm Celeste Amarina Giordano. It's very nice to meet you, officially, Kuai-Liang," she chimed and winked at him. He smirked in return.

"Now I have another favor to ask you. Would you care to walk with me?" she asked and received a nod in return. She smiled and wrapped her arm around the cryomancer's, then led him away into the moonlight.

* * *

He crept along the forest in the shadows of night, easily blending in. He was currently in search of a particular object for his master and assumed its retrieval would be fairly simple. Likewise, he came prepared for any opposition that he would possibly meet, yet that was what the others were for.

While he and his accomplice were ordered by the empress to infiltrate the realm, his master decided to use this opportunity to further his own plans. As he searched for the artifact, his partner and their _companions_ would serve as distractions.

Although the latter was initially devised by the empress herself, she knew nothing about the other half of the plan. She was even left in the dark about the artifact, but she should know better than to trust such a cunning sorcerer, especially one after her kingdom. Then again, she didn't know about that _either_, but by the time she realized something was amiss, it would be _entirely_ too late.

* * *

Sub-Zero and Celeste walked through a small wooded area and came to a tiny clearing. The former now stood leaning against a tree while the latter was seated on the ground beside him. Both remained silent, thinking opposite thoughts as the breeze rattled the leaves in the nearby trees.

Celeste stole a brief glance at cryomancer as she combed a couple of strands of hair away from her face. He was staring ahead with those brilliant eyes, his arms crossed.

'_He looks so serious, but of course, he is,_' she thought as her eyes lingered on his person.

"Staring is rude," Sub-Zero lectured before looking at the brunette out of the corner of his eye. She briefly glared at him then pretended to study a nearby bush, making the Lin Kuei chuckle softly.

"Oh, and what exactly are _you_ laughing about, mister?" she asked, eying him suspiciously.

"Nothing at all," he replied with a smirk, though it was hidden by his mask.

Celeste snorted in disbelief and stood to her feet. She then turned to face the cryomancer, only to clumsily slide on the grass. However, before she could hit the ground, she found herself being supported by Sub-Zero. She was just about to thank him until her eyes met his and she absolutely melted.

'_Under _that_ spell again. If only I could see more of his face,' _she mentally sighed._ 'Well, I _can _always rip off his damn mask,' s_he purred then began to reach up to Sub-Zero's face, but stopped once she felt him stiffen.

"I'm sorry! I just…" Her voice trailed off as soon as she noticed that he was no longer looking at her, but _behind_ her instead. With furrowed brows, Celeste began to slowly turn around, yet once she faced the same direction as the cryomancer, she didn't see anything suspicious. At first. As she continued to watch, she saw movement in the trees. Then _he_ came forward into the edge of the clearing, a man dressed in all black with strange eyes.

'_Who the fuck is that?'_ she asked herself as the mysterious man took a few more steps forward.

She looked back to Sub-Zero, who still glared at the man before them. Just when she thought this eerie stillness would go on forever, a voice broke the silence, though it belonged to neither her nor the Lin Kuei Grandmaster, but instead the unknown man across the field.

In a deep baritone, he uttered, "Hello… Kuai-Liang."

* * *

**A/N: Oh, dear… Things are about to get real serious next chapter. Prepare for violence and blood, guys. Bombshells, too! It's going to get crazy.**

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	12. When Heaven Falls

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for language and violence. **

* * *

Celeste stood close to Sub-Zero, her eyes darting between the cryomancer and the man across the clearing. Honestly, she did not feel comfortable being here. This man showed up only seconds ago, but a couple of seconds seemed long enough for the tension in the air became so thick, that it could practically be sliced through with a sword. She knew she was overlooking a detail or two but couldn't put a finger on it. Either way, she knew something serious was about to go down very soon.

"What business do you have here, Bi-Han?" the cryomancer asked with a trace of an odd emotion in his voice.

'_He sounds a bit strange, as if he's uneasy or conflicted in some way,_' Celeste thought to herself as she peered over at Sub-Zero.

"It is of no concern to you. Just know that you are in my way," the man remarked, slightly narrowing his strange eyes.

"You trespass in a land you otherwise would ignore, brother. I believe it _is_ of my concern," Sub-Zero countered as he stepped forward.

"_Brother_? I thought your brother was _dead_!" the brunette cried in confusion, eying the cryomancer with a raised brow.

"He wa—"

"He spoke the truth. I did die, but then I was resurrected by Quan Chi. He gave me new purpose. Perfected my past flaws," the man smirked.

"Bi-Han, he merely further corrupted you! You were not given a new purpose, only subjected to be his pawn, but you can be purified from thi—"

"You are a fool, Kuai-Liang! There is nothing to cleanse or purify!" he growled at the cryomancer. "And we are not brothers! I am no longer Bi-Han. He died as a miserable whelp on tournament grounds at the hands of Scorpion. I have been reborn as Noob Saibot!" Noob declared, a grin snaking its way across his face.

'_Well, this is one shitty family reunion_,' Celeste mentally sighed as she looked over at Sub-Zero once more. He stood beside her, glaring at Noob Saibot, his eyes icy daggers. Just looking at him made her realize just how worried she was about him. Hearing his _own _brother deny him stung even _her_.

'_If only I could somehow help him,_' she thought as she reached over and touched Sub-Zero's arm. Once their eyes met, she gave him a slight smile and the ice melted away, if only for a moment.

"Oh, and who is this? Another apprentice of yours? Did you not learn your lesson the first time, Kuai-Liang? She is going to betray you just as Frost did," Noob snickered.

Celeste glowered at the man, her eyes little orbs of green flames. The name Frost didn't ring any bells, and she didn't know the history of what happened there, but she be damned if she was going to let Noob use her _personally_ as a weapon against the cryomancer.

"My name is Celeste, and so sorry to disappoint you but I'm _not_ his apprentice. I'm his _friend_ and someone that _actually_ cares about him, which speaks _volumes_ compared to you, asshole!" she hissed as Sub-Zero grabbed her arm to restrain her, but she kept her fiery eyes focused on Noob Saibot as she shook off the cryomancer's hold.

"So bold to be so small, but a loud-mouthed girl does not frighten me," the wraith taunted with a slight, dark chuckle.

"Oh, no. I'm not trying to scare you. I'm only letting you know that I'm not afraid of you, either," the brunette retorted. "In fact, you can go back to hell and—"

"Celeste! Do not—"

"And you shall come with me," Noob grinned as an oily substance rose from the ground and quickly advanced towards the brunette.

"No!" Sub-Zero roared as he slid to Celeste and shoved her out of the creature's path before shooting an ice beam at the thing, only for it to retract to its master.

'_What the hell was that_?' the brunette pondered with widened eyes after landing onto the ground.

"You will _not_ harm her! If you must fight someone, then _I _will be your opponent," the cryomancer challenged as he got into his stance.

"Very well," the wraith nodded as he, too, moved into his own battle stance.

Celeste stood to her feet and watched as the brothers charged towards each other until they clashed in a violent fury of blows. Sub-Zero swung at Noob, who dodged and attempted to counter with a blow to his brother's gut, but the cryomancer knocked away his hand and shoved him back. The wraith then dispatched his shadow towards his younger brother who slid out of the way and froze the ground at Noob's feet, but the wraith flipped away from the ice beam and caught Sub-Zero with a ghostly fireball. The cryomancer now only stood there, seemingly paralyzed.

'_I have to help him, but this is going to be messy and stupid. Very, very stupid,_' Celeste thought as she watched Noob land a kick on Sub-Zero's skull.

Once the wraith's back was turned to her, she charged him but was soon stopped when she was tackled by the creature from moments prior, yet this time she got a good look at it and realized it was a just shadow clone of Noob.

"It seems you would rush to your death," the wraith grinned as he slowly stalked the fallen female but as soon as he drew close to her, a ball of ice surged between them. Noob Saibot looked behind him to see Sub-Zero glaring at him.

"I_ will not _allow you to harm her!" the cryomancer icily spat as he slid between Noob Saibot and Celeste.

The siblings glowered at each other before they clashed yet again. The brunette observed the on-going fight once she stood to her feet, although secretly she debated rushing in and smacking Noob herself. However, as if he read her mind, the cryomancer spoke against it.

"Don't linger here. Return to the palace. I will meet you there once I am done here," he called to her. When she just stayed in place looking at him, he urged her once again, "Go!"

With a loud sigh, Celeste reluctantly turned away and ran in the direction of the Edenian palace. As she left the siblings behind, she sent out a silent prayer, asking that Sub-Zero emerged victorious over his brother.

* * *

The brunette ran all the way back through the forest until she returned to the lawn of the palace. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath and soon realized the palace was under attack.

"What the hell? Everything's fine when I leave, but when I come back, there's all kinds of crazy shit's going on," Celeste sighed.

As she drew closer, she noticed that her allies were once again battling the Tarkatans, which threw her for a loop since she thought it would be nearly impossible for them to make it to Edenia as well. Sure enough, however, everyone stood scattered outside the palace with weapons in hand, taking on the gruesome creatures, including the Edenian royalty, but that somehow failed to surprise her.

'_Hm, everyone's out here except for Li Mei, but I suppose she's still recuperating from last time_,' she thought while watching her comrades. '_Well, I guess the only way to get through this…is to fight.'_

Without another thought, Celeste rushed into the skirmish and grabbed hold onto a Tarkatan who faced away from her. She began draining it, keeping a strong grip on its arms as it struggled for freedom until it ultimately fell into a heap on the ground. Once her initial target hit the ground, she searched for another, eventually finding herself alongside Johnny Cage and Jax, both of which bore a couple of cuts a piece but also seemed to be doing well against the enemy.

"So you've returned to see this horror show," Cage said teasingly as he lobbed a green fireball directly into the face of his current adversary.

"Hey, wasn't Sub-Zero with you? 'Cause I'm not seein' him," Jax asked as he punched the ground in front of him, causing several Tarkatans to fall over.

"We encountered Noob Saibot during our walk and they clashed," Celeste said after her latest victim collapsed onto the ground.

"Ah, damn. He's facin' some serious shit," was Jax's reply.

"Yeah, don't remind me," she muttered as she searched for another opponent.

After a few moments or so things seemed to lighten up. From what Celeste saw, the Tarkatan numbers were beginning to dwindle somewhat, and not many people were seriously injured. So far, everything appeared okay, until she noticed something taking place on the other side of the palace lawn. She spied Jade fighting some woman dressed in black and yellow garb, though that wasn't what had her on edge. It was seeing two Tarkatans charging the Edenian general, and before Celeste could think, she was on her way to help out, until she saw blue blurs severing the creatures' heads from their shoulders.

'_What in_…' she began questioning herself until she realized what the objects were.

"Oh, they're just Kitana's fans," she chuckled. She almost turned around until something else caught her eyes.

"Shit!" she gasped as soon as she saw more Tarkatans rushing to the princess and her friend, both of which were taking on the woman in yellow. Neither of the women seemed to notice the bladed creatures approaching them.

'_This is going to be very bad, unless… unless I do something_,' she mentally concluded. With a deep breath, Celeste took off as quickly as she could.

By the time she reached the vicinity, two of the Tarkatans spotted and rushed her instead of their initial targets. As the first swung his bladed arm at her, she slid between its feet, just barely dodging the tip of its blade, and knocked it over with a leg sweep before jumping onto her feet in time to kick the other in its face. She then proceeded to seize hold of it and drain it. Once its counterpart stood back and swung at her again, she dragged the weakened Tarkatan in position to take the blow, releasing it as the blade drove through its heart. The counterpart growled at her and attempted to stab her with its other blade, but she kicked its arm away and grasped its neck. Her hands grew warm as she stole its stamina and in a swift jerk, snapped its neck with a loud crack.

When she was done with those, two more turned without warning and attacked. Though she managed to kick one away, the other left a good scratch on her arm. She hissed in pain but continued fighting, grabbing hold of it and sucking away its energy until the first Tarkatan attacked once more. As before, she used its counterpart as a shield to lodge the blade in. It let out a shriek of pain as its arm was cut clean off. She quickly broke its neck and turned around in time to dodge a swing from the other. She then knocked it off of its feet with a sweep before picking up the severed arm and driving the blade through its head.

After she was done, Celeste stopped for a few seconds of air when she saw all of the blood spilled from her fight with the Tarkatans. She was surprised that she was capable of doing such a thing, but realized she was on an adrenaline rush and killing them off was the only way to defeat the Tarkatans. Once she was done taking her short breather, she grabbed the severed arm again and advanced towards the remaining three Tarkatans, her fingers mentally crossed as she sent out her second silent prayer of the night.

* * *

Sub-Zero continued through the forest that he and Celeste walked through earlier. His mind was reeling after his fight with Bi-Han. It felt as if the struggle lasted for an eternity. It was as if they met a stalemate. By the end of their clash, both men bore several cuts and bruises, yet no one managed a killing blow. Instead, Bi-Han used his clone as a scapegoat and fled into the woods, but the cryomancer did not chase him. He was a patient man and knew that they would cross paths again in the future. Whatever remained would be settled then.

Once he came to the edge of the forest, he saw what the brunette saw prior, their comrades in the midst of battle with Tarkatans, but that was not what caught his attention. Instead, it was the sight of a bloodied Celeste fighting a Tarakatan with the severed arm of another, and without word or thought, he rushed forward to aid her.

As he drew closer, he observed the brunette dodging a swing of the Tarkatan's bladed-arm. She then twirled around and drove her weapon through her opponent's neck, yet as the tip emerged from the top of its head, the blade of its second arm surfaced through Celeste's back, almost directly through her heart.

Everything from then on seemed to happen in slow motion for Sub-Zero. Every part of him tensed as Celeste's cried echoed in the air as the Tarkatan's blade withdrew from her torso as the both fell to the ground in a pool of blood. By the time he reached them, her eyes found him and she offered him a smile.

"I... I did it," he heard her whisper as she reached for him before involuntarily spewing blood from her lips. Yet despite it all, those forest green eyes never left his face. Once they finally closed, the cryomancer realized two things; he was too late to save her, and he felt more alone than ever because of it.

* * *

**A/N: Well, damn. How do I even begin with this one? **

**Hm, first let me say that I realize you guys are probably about to PM me to death, but in all fairness you were warned. However, this can't truly be the end, can it? Well, on the bright side, there's a special treat planned for next chapter. There's going to be a special guest and everything, so maybe you guys won't hate me too much anymore after that's done.**

**Also, like always, I have to thank you guys for always coming back and checking out the latest update, even if you don't leave a review. That now leads me to apologize for taking so long with this. I had finals a couple of weeks ago and when I finally got home, my parents had me doing all kinds of stuff for them. So once again, I'm sorry, guys. I hope there's never this long of a wait again in the future.**

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	13. Reunion

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for minor adult language.**

* * *

Celeste awoke to the sound of chirping birds and running water. As she slowly opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was that she was lying on the ground among a patch of white flowers resembling daisies. Once she managed a sitting position and fully adjusted her eyes to the near-blinding light of the sun, she found herself in an unknown clearing.

She was surrounded by vibrant grasses decorated with flowers of varying color. The crystal blue sky above was almost completely clear, save for a few puffy clouds. Purple butterflies danced in the air to the sound of the gentle breeze stirring the leaves in nearby trees. A couple of yards away, Celeste spotted a fountain with a marble base, shooting up a stream of aquamarine water. The scenery was nothing short of breath-taking.

"This is all so gorgeous," she whispered to herself while standing to her feet.

The brunette strolled through this new area, occasionally humming along with the songs of the birds. She bent over and picked a tiny blue flower, feeling drawn to the particular shade of the color. She twirled it between her index finger and thumb by its tiny stem. After she was done playing with the flower, she kept it and walked to the fountain then took a seat on the marble surface.

"I wonder where I am," she whispered as she stared at blue petals. "I feel like I'm familiar with this place, but I've never been here."

"In a way, dear, you have," a gentle feminine voice echoed in the air. Celeste let out a gasp and immediately jumped to her feet. Her wide eyes scanned the area for any sign of another person, but she found no one.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" she called, her eyes still studying the landscape.

Almost instantly, a golden light appeared in front of Celeste. The light slowly outlined a silhouette, having nearly the same height of the brunette. The light intensified for all but a second before disappearing, leaving behind a woman in its place. She stood at five-foot-seven, her curvy frame dressed in a delicate, white gown with golden straps and accents around her waist. Her burgundy hair flowed past her waist as her golden eyes focused on the brunette. Her face round, her lashes long, her fair skin flawless, her cheekbones high, and her red lips thick. Upon seeing the woman, Celeste went completely still. She was a mass of confusion and disbelief. Before her was _Panedere_, her _mother. _

'_But she's dead! She can't be here if she's fucking dead_!' her mind screamed as she continued gaping at Panedere, who only smiled understandingly.

"Calm yourself, my dear. There is nothing to be afraid of," the sorceress assured. Celeste blinked and tried to speak. After several tries, she finally found her words.

"B-but how? You're dead," she uttered then realization hit. "Oh, god! That means… I'm dead, too!" the brunette gasped as the final moments of her battle against the Tarkatans replayed in her head.

She began shaking as she received the final blow once again, the blade entering her abdomen and running upward through her torso before emerging on the other side. She mouthed "no" as an image of Sub-Zero appeared in her mind, his cerulean hues betraying him, showing the anguish he tried to keep buried. In an attempt to free herself from the memory, Celeste shook her head as her eyes stung with the threat of tears.

'_He's hurting… and I can't even offer comfort anymore_,' she mentally sobbed as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Come now, my darling daughter. There is no need for tears. You are not dead," Panedere announced as she reached out and stroked the side of her daughter's head. Celeste went rigid for a moment before snapping her head up.

"I had a blade driven _completely_ through my chest. How am I _not_ dead?" the brunette questioned as she wiped away the fallen tear.

"Your body is healing itself as we speak," was the woman's reply.

"I don't understand how. I've never been able to heal myself, only drain others." Celeste muttered, taking a seat on the fountain base. To her surprise, Panedere chuckled softly as she sat beside her on the fountain. She looked at the sorceress with slightly narrowed eyes and calmly asked, "Is there something I'm missing?"

"Quite a lot, honestly, but that can be expected. You still lack full knowledge of your abilities, but I am here to give you just that," the sorceress replied.

"That's all fine and dandy and what not, but there's still one more thing. How exactly are you still alive?" Celeste asked with a raised brow.

"That is something I will explain later. First, you need to learn the extent of your power. That is most important," Panedere remarked as her eyes met Celeste's in a steady gaze.

"Alright then. What more about my powers do I need to know? All I assumed was that I drained stamina," the brunette said with a shrug.

"While it is true that you deplete your adversaries in some form, it is not through absorption of stamina. In fact, you are draining their essence and using it to strengthen yours. The visions are the result of your actions, yet that is only the beginning.

"What you do not know is that your body stores what you take from others. While you may use newly gained essence, it is only but a tiny portion. The rest stays and circulates your body, only surfacing when needed. Now would be the perfect example. You took a blow that would have killed you had you not been able to do what you do. Your physical body now lays dormant as it heals itself with the essence you have stowed away. However, this restoration does not end with only your own body. Eventually, you will be able to heal others as well. That is why _he_ is after you," Panedere explained, looking to the brunette beside her.

"Let me guess. Shang Tsung," Celeste muttered dryly.

"Yes, the cursed sorcerer. Since your abilities ultimately allow you to mend yourself, he targets you. He wants to take your soul as his, your abilities along with it. He believes it will rid him of his curse, and in part, he is correct," the sorceress nodded.

"What do you mean by 'in part'?" Celeste asked with a raised brow.

"If Shang Tsung were to acquire your power and use it, then his body would also heal itself, but only once he aged to the point of death. The curse would still be active, in a sense. He would still age, but with your power there would be no need to fully absorb the souls of others since he would ultimately be restored. Think of it as a cycle, if you will," the Edenian replied.

"So, to end all of this, he has to be killed?" the brunette questioned.

"To ensure your safety, yes, but it would not change Edenia's overall fate. Disposing of Shang Tsung will not be enough to keep Edenia out of danger," was Panedere's response.

"Oh! _That's_ what you were trying to show me in those dreams!" Celeste gasped as she snapped her fingers in realization.

"Indeed. I am afraid that Edenia is yet again threatened, and the only way to stop another invasion is the outcome of upcoming events in Outworld. I know Lord Raiden's warriors train hard for Mortal Kombat, as they should. This tournament determines more than just the fate of one realm. Should Earthrealm lose the tournament, Earthrealm will be destroyed and Edenia will once again fall prey to Outworld," the sorceress quietly announced.

'_Da__mmit_,' Celeste inwardly sighed as she focused on the flower in her hands. Here she was thinking that the only person in danger was her, but no. It seemed that winning Mortal Kombat would be the only hope Earthrealm and Edenia had. Moments passed as she twirled its stem between her fingers, until another thought popped into the brunette's mind, forcing her currently gloom aside.

"Pane… mom, can you explain a couple more things for me?" Celeste asked as green met gold.

"Yes, my Celeste. What would you like to know?" Panedere smiled.

"Where are we?" the young woman inquired and the sorceress chuckled.

"Believe it or not, we are inside of the amulet. In this moment, we are but two spirits conversing, except one of us will awake soon and the other will remain," the Edenian replied. "You see, dear, while I am dead in the traditional sense, my soul did not move to the spirit world but the amulet instead, by choice of course. I came prepared for the day I had to face Shang Tsung. I—"

"You fought Shang Tsung? But why? As far as I understood from Sindel, Shao Kahn was the one to invade and marge Edenia. I don't see how Shang Tsung fits in that," Celeste admitted, interrupting the sorceress.

"I had to fight him so that I would die and my plan would follow through. I knew I was not meant to bring his end when I faced him, and because of my foresight, I knew the one who would. Once I knew you would be the one to bring Shang Tsung's demise, I devised a plan that would allow me to assist you. The plan was simple enough. I would craft an amulet and cast spells upon it, so my soul would transfer into it as I took my last breath. As soon as the stone was in your possession, my soul would be awakened at your touch, the effect of another spell, and I would be able to communicate with you through your dreams," Panedere explained.

"So that's why Sindel said the amulet was made for me," the brunette uttered in epiphany.

"Yes, although it took yet another spell to ensure it stayed with Sindel of regardless of what would come after Shao Kahn's invasion. No one would be able to remove it from Sindel's neck, save for you or Sindel herself, regardless of her state of being," the woman remarked, a momentary smirk on her lips.

"Clever," Celeste applauded, as she ran her fingers over the cool metal of the amulet.

"I had to be to ensure your survival. I had to be willing to do everything within my power to keep Shang Tsung from you until it was time for you to face him, including sacrificing myself and allowing you to be raised by another. Your life has always been most important," the sorceress said with a smile, though inner emotions threatened to break her composure.

"When Sindel first told me that you were my mother, I felt a lot of things. Mostly anger and betrayal. I didn't want to believe it, but despite my attempts to block it out, there was always something reminding me how I was not the same as others from Earthrealm. Then I had the very first vision through your eyes, and I could no longer deny it. Eventually I came to accept it, and all I can say… All I can say is thank you," Celeste almost sobbed.

"You are most welcome, my darling daughter," Panedere whispered as she held the brunette close. Celeste leaned into the sorceress, though something else strangely piqued her curiosity.

"Mom, who is my dad?" she quietly asked while she wiped at her eyes.

"After Shao Kahn merged the realms, I spent millennia wandering in Outworld. When Shang Tsung came close to finding me, I fled to Earthrealm. Three centuries past until I met a man that completely seized my heart. This man was Jaceon Giordano, your father. Within mere weeks, we shared a strong attraction, but once I told him my origins we became inseparable. Months later, we secretly wedded and weeks later, I learned I was pregnant. Jaceon was ecstatic, however, the fairytale did not last as long as we wanted. He died of lung cancer several months into my pregnancy. He fought it as hard as he could and held on as long as possible just to catch a glimpse of your face once you were born, but in the end, it took him before he had the chance," the Edenian murmured. "Thus I named you Celeste in his honor, since he was so intrigued with the Heavens. Needless to say, his sister approved."

Celeste smiled as she thought, '_They both really did care. How could I ever have thought otherwise_?' The smile stayed in place as she wiped away her tears until something else clicked in her head.

"Wait, my aunt? Was she the one who...?"

"She was. Ana knew everything about the situation, just as your father did. Although it took her much longer to accept it all, she eventually agreed to help. You were put in her care a week after you were born. I wanted to stay longer, but each day that passed brought Shang Tsung closer and closer to you. I had to leave and accept my chosen fate," the sorceress sighed. The brunette could only nod.

"I know, and I promise I won't let what your effort go to waste. I promise to make you proud," Celeste vowed, looking into gold eyes.

"Oh, but you already have, my dear," Panedere said in response. Celeste beamed and hugged her mother, closing her eyes and allowing herself to be happy, just once.

* * *

When her eyes opened again, Celeste realized that she was no longer with Panedere. Instead, she found herself in her room at the palace. She glanced over at the window and saw the moon shining through the glass. At first, she thought she was alone until she noticed light coming from her doorway.

"Who's there?" she asked only to find that she barely made a sound above a raspy whisper. However, it was apparently loud enough to prompt a reply.

"Celeste?" She heard a familiar baritone call out. Upon hearing his voice, she managed to pull herself into a stiff sitting position on the bed. She saw him standing close to her door, the moonlight reflecting in his blue eyes as he focused on her.

"Sub-Zero," she gasped, her lips slowly curving into a smile. She couldn't help but feel overjoyed at his presence. It strangely felt as if it'd been forever since she saw him. Though he remained still and silent, she knew he felt the same.

'_Those eyes betray you, Kuai_,' she thought as she tried to get out of the bed. As soon her feet touched the floor, she jumped up only to begin falling over. Before she could hit the floor, she found herself being supported by the cryomancer.

"You have finally awakened," he said, holding her. Although it came out as a simple statement, she could tell he was relieved to see her up.

"Yeah. Wait, '_finally_'? How long was I out for?" she inquired as she stepped back and steadied herself.

"Nearly two weeks," he replied, taking note of the brunette's widening eyes.

"_The_ _hell_. It didn't _feel_ like almost two weeks!" Celeste cried, shaking her head. "No way did that conversation last nearly two damn weeks. I mean…" her voice trailed off once she noticed the look Sub-Zero was giving her.

'_I really should learn to keep my outbursts in_,' she mentally sighed as her eyes met the confused gaze of the cryomancer. Though she knew he wasn't going to say anything, her intuition told her he wanted to know what she was referring to.

"Hey, I have an idea. How about a little deal? I'll tell you what happened to me in my unconscious state if you'll take me for a walk," she bargained, crossing her fingers by her sides. She watched as Sub-Zero considered the offer, and after a few moments passed he spoke.

"I will accompany you on a short walk if you will lay down afterward. Your injury may be healed, but you do not need to overexert yourself upon first waking up," he countered. Celeste opened her mouth to dispute him, but chose not to.

"Fine. We'll walk and I'll get back in bed right after, but I will not go back to sleep since I _apparently_ spent two weeks doing just _that_. Instead, I want you to tell me what's happened around here while I was knocked out," she stated with a tiny smirk then wrapped her arm around his and led him out of her room before he could object.

As she and the cryomancer walked through the palace to the main door, anxiety began settling in her gut. She knew there wasn't much time left until the tournament, where she would meet Shang Tsung. She didn't know what to expect, only that things were going to become extremely turbulent. However, she willed the unpleasantness away. She was determined to enjoy the moment before she had to refocus on the task at hand. She would worry about Shang Tsung once they stepped foot in Outworld and not another moment before.

* * *

**A/N: And we're back in business. It's about to be all focus on the tournament again, though I plan on there being a bit of "fun" next chapter before we head into the chaos of Mortal Kombat in chapter 15. Trust me, once we get to the tournament, the drama pot will be stirred.**

**With that said, I hope you guys loved this chapter. I wanted there to be a tender family moment, since the only family reunion thus far was Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot beating the crap out of each other. I figured I could pull that off while also explaining what Celeste's full power set is. I can also promise that this will not be the last you see of Panedere. The crafty sorceress will be back at a later date.**

**Also, many thanks to those of you that keep coming back, although I (involuntarily) keep you waiting. I hope to hear from you guys, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask!**

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


	14. Doubts and Dances

**A/N: I own nothing of Mortal Kombat. Rated T for minor adult language.**

* * *

She sat at the vanity in a mahogany chair, brushing her dark, wavy tresses. Despite the soothing feel of the soft bristles running through her hair, she still found it difficult to completely relax. After nearly two weeks of complacency, Celeste knew things were going to get very crazy very soon, and the thought of all what lie ahead tied her stomach in knots.

For starters, the gathering Sindel spent the past week planning was starting in a matter of hours. This particular event, meant to celebrate the Tarkatans' defeat, was making the brunette nervous. She and the other warriors would stand before almost _all_ of Edenia, and she was definitely not ready for that kind of attention. However, the main cause of her anxiety was not the party, but rather what _tomorrow_ would bring.

After breakfast it was off _directly_ to Outworld for Mortal Kombat. Although she knew the time would come eventually, Celeste felt ill-prepared for whatever chaos that was going to ensue during the tournament, and on top of that, she dreaded the inevitable confrontation with Shang Tsung.

'_Oh, fuck my life… Wait, when I put it that way, it sounds like I'm actually _forfeiting _my life. Ah, dammit,_' she thought with a sigh as she slouched in the chair, nearly frozen in that position until she heard a knock on the door.

"Er, come in," she called as she straightened up. Once she heard the door click, Celeste turned around to catch sight of her visitor. Green eyes fell upon Li Mei as she stepped into the room, the sight of her leaving the brunette in awe.

The Outworlder stood wearing a violet, one-shoulder evening gown having a sheer, draped sleeve flowing from the rhinestone strap and a cinched waist adorned with tiny silver gems. Her black hair fell in delicate curls around her shoulders, her bangs braided to the side of her head and held with a purple, jeweled flower. She wore shimmery, lilac shadow on her eyes and glossy, plum color on her lips. She was nothing short of gorgeous.

"Oh, wow," Celeste breathed after gawking at her friend.

"I take it I look good?" Li Mei questioned then walked over and looked at herself through the vanity mirror. "Whoa! I _do_ look good!"

"Heh. I can only hope I come out looking half as decent when they get to me," the brunette said with a shrug. "I imagine they're getting Sonya all dolled up now."

"Yeah, they are, but you need don't worry. I already _know_ you're going to be a bombshell by the time they're done with you," the Outworld native assured.

"Oh, thanks," was Celeste's quiet reply.

"You're welcome. So how are you feeling right now? You seem a little shaky," Li Mei remarked, her eyes on the young woman beside her.

"Honestly, I'm scared out of my mind. Sure I'm nervous about standing before hundreds if not _thousands_ of people, but I know that in the end I can deal with that. Tomorrow and on, though, I'm not so sure," the brunette sighed, her gaze dropping to the floor.

"Because of the tournament?" inquired the black-haired woman. Celeste only nodded in response, her eyes still the carpet. "It's understandable. Mortal Kombat is bloody and brutal. There's no denying it. As much as I want to tell you that everything is going to be fine, I can't. Anything is possible during the tournament, and all you can do is brace yourself and stay strong, regardless of what happens," Li Mei said as she looked to the half-Edenian.

"I know. I once talked with Raiden and Sub-Zero about the tournament, back when I asked to train with you guys. Of course, I only wanted to train so I could defend myself while you guys were preoccupied with fighting. I still remember how relieved they were when I said I had no intention of participating, but it seems that's changed now. I have to face Shang Tsung, and there is nothing that I or anyone else can do to change that," Celeste whispered, closing her eyes.

"Hey," the Outworlder began, reaching out and touching her friend's shoulder. Once she had the brunette's attention, she smiled. "You may be afraid, but you should remember something. Your mother didn't doubt you, I don't doubt you, and I know the others most certainly don't doubt you, so why doubt yourself? Hm?

"Celeste, you're one of the most courageous people I've ever met. You may have been afraid at first, but when the time came, you never backed down. I know this time will be no different. There's also something _else_ you should remember. You have_ us_. We _will_ stay by your side, despite what comes during the tournament. That much I _can_ promise," the woman vowed.

Celeste opened her eyes and slowly met the gaze of Li Mei. The woman's eyes told her that she meant every word she just said. She could see the woman truly believed in her, which gradually brought a tiny smile to her face.

"Alright, I'll remember that and hold you to it, although I don't think I quite believe every word of it," Celeste muttered before suddenly smirking. "I mean, I don't see Scorpion staying by my side for very long unless it's to strangle me again," she chuckled.

"Fine, fine. I'll give you that," Li Mei laughed with a nod. "But the rest of us will stand by you, and if the Shirai Ryu tries to harm you again, especially with Raiden there, I bet he's going to remember what tears are and how they work fairly quickly," she said with a wink, causing Celeste to smile once again.

"Well, if Raiden really _is _there, perhaps we'll have a nice little light show to lighten things up," the brunette laughed, as did Li Mei.

The two continued making jokes about Scorpion's hypothetical punishment for minutes on end, and somewhere amidst all of the laughter did Celeste realize that it really was the best medicine. While she was still very anxious about the tournament, she felt some relief knowing that she wouldn't be alone when the time came to confront the sorcerer. Or so she hoped.

* * *

Shang Tsung sat in his palace with a small cup of green tea before him on the table and nothing could mask his underlying joy. Tomorrow began Mortal Kombat. In the past, he found the tournament taxing, but that was mostly due to Shao Kahn's unrelenting demands. However, this time, it would be Kahn-free, but Mileena might serve to cause much more trouble than her predecessor.

At the moment, the sorcerer wanted almost nothing more than to snap the grotesque hybrid's neck. Her plan nearly cost him his prize. Due to her thoughtless Edenian invasion, Celeste nearly died at the hand of one of the Tarkatans, but thankfully, the girl's abilities kept her alive and restored her health.

'_And soon, she will finally be within my grasp! Her soul, her power will be mine_!' Shang Tsung thought with a smirk which only grew as he envisioned himself wrapping a hand around the girl's throat and draining her life as she stared helplessly at him with those green eyes, steadily dulling as she flowed into him. It would satiate his desire, even more so than the meaningless death of that damned lady sorcerer. With this girl's life, he would no longer be second to _anyone_.

* * *

The spectre stood against the wall with his arms crossed, ghastly eyes absently roaming the ballroom with disinterest. Although the party had been underway for less than an hour, it felt like days. In all honesty, he was shocked that he was still there. It was an annoying waste of time. Of course, if he voiced this aloud that banshee bitch would hear him and send him to hell. Quite literally. Not that he was afraid of her, because he _wasn't_. He simply valued his hearing and didn't care to be further annoyed by Raiden once it all happened.

However, Scorpion found his thoughts interrupted by a chill in the air. One he knew well. Almost immediately his eyes landed on Sub-Zero, who stood beside the thunder god and the Shaolin, all across the room from himself. The cryomancer's cold eyes were fixed on something very _specific _in the room. Following his rival's harsh stare he found exactly what caught the cryomancer's eye. In the midst of the crowd of people dancing, he spotted Celeste nervously dancing with an Edenian soldier. Almost immediately, he actually felt himself wanting to smirk. The usually collected Lin Kuei Grandmaster was now perturbed all because of a simple dance. How amusingly pathetic.

The spectre shook his head but kept his eyes on the brunette. Oddly enough, the girl did not irritate him as much as she did initially. While he still found her rather obnoxious, he would also reluctantly admit that she had a few decent qualities. She was fiercely loyal to Raiden and his lot as well as a seemingly courageous individual, albeit foolishly impulsive in many of her decisions. But even then, people with those two characteristics were hard to come by, especially in _these_ times. He would be fair and acknowledge that the girl wasn't a complete menace, and though he still cared less about what became of her in the tournament, he would not bring any unnecessary harm to her, but _only _as long as she kept out of his way.

With that thought replaced by another, Scorpion turned to the grand doors and began towards them. He had enough of all of this noise and these people. He was going to sharpen his spear so it would be more than ready to use. Tomorrow would bring him closer to his goal. He was going to have his vengeance and Quan Chi was _finally_ going to pay. With his life.

* * *

Johnny Cage strutted up to the table with his usual grin on his face. None of the parties he hosted at his condo came close to this. The food was remarkable, the music was good, but best of all, the women were undeniably _hot_. Sindel knew how to send people off in style. Raiden should really take a hint.

"Hey, why are you guys still sitting here? It's a damn _party_. Go dance. Have some Edenian Pie. Get a drink. Just loosen up and—"

"Oh, shut it, Cage!" Sonya growled as she jumped out of her chair and stomped away, leaving Johnny confused.

"What got her panties in a bunch?" the actor asked as he took his seat.

"Are you really askin' that? Are you really _that _damn stupid?" Jax snorted, crossing his arms.

"It upset her that you not only decided to ask another woman to dance—"

"But you were also _very_ flirty with her," Li Mei remarked, interrupting Kenshi. Johnny Cage only raised a brow.

"I think you mean she was 'very flirty' with _me_. Sides, I can't help it that the ladies love me," he grinned, flashing his pearly whites. Kenshi sighed and shook his head before walking off with Jax in tow, who mumbled something about decking the Hollywood star "real good" in the face as he passed the table.

"You're so full of it, Cage," the Outworlder sighed, rubbing the side of her temple.

"_What_? It seems like I'm the only one actually having some fun around here. I mean, _come on_."

The actor readjusted his glasses and sat down. He didn't understand what was getting under everyone's skin. He was only trying to relax and have some fun. It wasn't _his _fault women clung to him like lint on fabric. He thought they all knew this by now, especially Sonya, but it seems he thought wrong. Likewise, he assumed Sonya knew that he truly only had eyes for her, even if they weren't official or anything, but apparently he was wrong about that, too.

'_Gotta step up your game, Cage. If you don't, she's gonna break you and leave_,' the actor mentally sighed, searching the room for any sign of Sonya Blade. As his eyes drifted from person to person, he suddenly felt cold, but the feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. Before he could mention it, someone else beat him to it.

"Did anyone else feel that?" Li Mei asked as she rubbed at her arms.

"The chill? Yeah, I felt it," the actor confirmed.

"Hm? I felt nothing," Bo' Rai Cho said before taking a sip from his glass.

"Chubs, you're boozing. We can already guess how warm and fuzzy _you're_ feeling," Cage chuckled as the Outworlder held up his glass.

"But anyway, that was rather peculiar. I wonder where it came from," Li Mei murmured to her comrades.

"Ha, I bet _I _know," the Hollywood star declared before nodding towards Sub-Zero then towards Celeste and her dancing partner. "Looks like someone's jealous. I mean that guy's holding her _pretty_ close and tight from the looks of it," Cage teased with a grin.

"Are you sure? Sub-Zero is usually a calm man. I don't think something like that would upset him, even for a moment," the Outworlder countered.

"Oh, I'm _damn_ sure. Anyone could tell he was pissed about it just by looking at him. Sides, I think they're more than _just_ _friends_, if you get what I'm saying, but either way, it looks like someone finally melted ice-man's heart. I approve," the actor chuckled.

"Well, they _do_ seem to spend quite a bit of time around each other, and Celeste does seem a lot closer to Sub-Zero than anyone else. I hate to say it, but you might actually have a point there, Cage," Li Mei concurred before glancing back and forth between the cryomancer and the brunette.

"I know I do," Johnny Cage smirked before standing up. "Now, I gotta go find Sonya before her fist finds a wall or a face or something." Without another word, the Hollywood star began weaving through the crowd to find the blonde lieutenant. Hopefully, she cooled off by now. If not, it was going to be a _long _night. One he would no longer be looking forward to.

* * *

Celeste sat in the window sill, eyes to the night sky. She still wore her strapless orange gown, but her shoes and makeup were long gone. And so was her inner peace. Although she first dreaded Sindel's party, it actually helped calm her nerves, but now that it was over, thoughts about what could happen during the tournament were once again free to flood her mind.

'_I'm not ready for the tournament or Shang Tsung. I'm just not_,' she mentally sighed, raking a hand through her wavy hair.

She sat there for minutes on end, watching the clouds slowly move across the sky and cover the moon. A sigh escaped her lips as she grasped the amulet in her hand. She looked at the charm and rubbed her thumb over the cool metal. After a moment, she felt somewhat soothed. It was as if Panedere was somehow trying to comfort her.

"Ugh, what am I_ doing_? Why am I feeling so hopeless and sorry for myself? It's like I'm already surrendering and I haven't even stepped foot on that dick's island yet. I've_ got_ to stop this," she ranted to herself before slamming her hands on the sill.

With a shake of her head, Celeste stood to her feet. In the past couple of weeks, she realized that talking things out seemed to help her nerves. While there were a few people she could talk to, there was really only one she wanted to see at the moment. Their presence always brought her peace.

Without another thought, she headed for the door and walked out of her room, leaving her heels behind. She walked briskly, yet quietly down the hall and turned the corner. She kept moving until she found where she wanted to go. She held up a hand and gently knocked on the door.

"Sub-Zero?" she uttered softly, hoping the cryomancer would hear her.

After a few moments, she heard nothing, so she decided to knock again, but before her knuckles made contact with the mahogany, the door opened, revealing the blue-clad assassin. She offered him a tiny smile once their eyes met.

"Hey," she chimed, "I'm not disturbing you or anything, am I? If I am, I can go."

"No, you are fine. Please, come in," he said then stepped aside. Celeste nodded before lifting her gown to avoid stepping on it as she walked past him.

As soon as she stepped into the room, she headed directly for the bed and sat on the edge at the foot. Once she heard the door close, she looked to the cryomancer and almost instantly felt like a dumbass.

'_Why didn't I change out of this? Everyone else probably took off their gowns and robes as soon as they were back in their rooms. Why didn't I do the same? I feel so overdressed for just a casual conversation_,' she thought as she looked down at the silky, orange fabric.

"Celeste, is everything all right?" The sound of Sub-Zero's voice interrupted her thoughts. Her head snapped up and she quickly noticed the look on his face. At first, she began to nod but shook her head instead.

"I want to say yes, but I can't," she sighed.

"What's troubling you?" the cryomancer asked, concern coating his words as he made his way over and sat beside her.

"I—I'm worried. About tomorrow. About the tournament. About facing _him_. I keep having thoughts about what might happen if I fail. It's just that I don't want to disappoint anyone or let my mom's sacrifice be in vain. But at the same time, I feel like I'm carrying the weight of the entire fucking world on my shoulders and it's _so_ stressful. All the same, I know I shouldn't whine or complain since I know you guys are actually the ones that will catch hell, but I just feel so hopeless," she whispered as her eyes fell to the floor, feeling herself relapsing once again.

"You are neither whining nor complaining. You're merely voicing your concerns, and there is no shame in that. You also have no reason to feel the way you do," he remarked.

"I know, but I just…" she began, but stopped.

"Celeste, you're casting doubt upon yourself when you have no reason to. Things are going to become challenging, yes, but you are a more than capable warrior. You're courageous, strong, and have a rare, fierce determination, and I firmly believe you will do whatever it is you have to do," Sub-Zero assured as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She jumped slightly in surprise then looked into his brilliant blues.

"You know, Li Mei said something similar when I talked to her earlier. She also told me that I wouldn't be alone. That you guys would stand by me," the brunette recalled, absent-mindedly playing with the amulet around her neck.

"Perhaps then you should listen," the cryomancer said, with the hint of a smirk on his lips. Although it remained hidden by his mask, Celeste could hear it in his words.

"I did, and I'll remember." She slightly smiled before looking away.

Both she and the cryomancer sat in silence, but the mood wasn't as heavy as it was moments prior. Celeste still worried about the future, but she was reminded that she shouldn't let her doubts cloud her mind.

'_They believe in me, so why can I do the same?_' she thought before stealing a quick glance at the Lin Kuei beside her while his attention was focused elsewhere, her lips beginning to form another smile until she remembered the time.

"Ah, I suppose I probably need to go. It's getting late and we should probably both sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow," the brunette stated as she stood to her feet.

"Yes," Sub-Zero simply agreed as he also stood.

The two walked to the door and Celeste reached for the knob, but once her hand touched the cool metal, she became distracted with a thought. Instead of opening the door, she dropped her hand and turned around, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Hey, before I go," the brunette began, "I kind of wanted to say that I was pretty bombed that I didn't get to actually have fun with everyone earlier. We were all spread out and so many people wanted to dance with me. It was kind of disappointing, really. Anyway, I wanted to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"Well, I-uh, I know this is a really strange question, but if I asked you to dance with me, would you?" Celeste looked to the cryomancer, who was obviously stunned by her question. Hell, she shocked _herself_ when she asked that, but what was done was done. She kept her eyes on Sub-Zero and waited for an answer. After what felt like millennia passed, she received an unexpected, though also uncertain, nod. She couldn't help but beam in a sudden rush of joy.

"Okay then, but now I want to ask you something else," she begin as she stepped forward. "Will you dance with me, Kuai-Liang? Right here, right now?" she asked as she held out her hand. After a while, the cryomancer took her hand in his, and she let a small chuckle escape her lips as she led him away from the door.

Once they were in a spacy area of the room, she stepped to him then cautiously wrapped her free arm around him, and after a couple of moments, he awkwardly did the same. The two then began to slowly sway in a circle as Celeste hummed a song, the tune easily reminding her of the cryomancer. Despite the strangeness of it, this was definitely going to be her favorite dance of the night. Hands down. If she could ever have her way, she would stop time around them and let this moment go on forever.

* * *

**A/N: Before I get into anything else, please let me first apologize. I hated that it took so damn long to put this up for you all, but these past couple of months have been utter hell. I had next to no free time thanks to classes and life in general. However, it's summer now, and I'm going to have lots of time to myself! Also, just a huge thank you to all of you for still bothering to read this. It means A LOT. Now onto other things...  
**

**-I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. It doesn't seem as exciting as I first thought it was, with Celeste being up and down, but that's for you guys to decide. Not to mention it was VERY long, but hopefully the last scene made you guys smile (to which, Celeste is humming the song "Break In" by Halestorm). Which just to note before someone jumps on me and accuse me of Sub-Zero being out of character, his moment at the dance happened out of subconscious feeling. He saw them dancing and reacted to it without actually realizing what he was doing. It's a similar reason why he entertains a few of Celeste's requests. Also, while we're on this particular topic, I'm going to just let you all know that there also won't be quite as many Sub-Zero/Celeste scenes as HR continues, but I assure you the ones you get you will definitely love.**

**-In regards to Scorpion's reflections on Celeste... There will NEVER be any sort of Scorpion/Celeste happening. I'm killing that idea before it even spawns.  
**

**-For those interested, I plan on drawing my OC and other characters from HR. It's just the custom styles I've come up with (i.e. the party gowns and robes, Celeste's tournament wear, Mileena's empress outfit, etc.). At the last chapter of HR, I'll upload this all to my deviantART and post links in the epilogue chapter or my profile. I'll also do this for HR's sequel and prequel (the Panedere stories).  
**

**-Since the opening ceremony for Mortal Kombat is next chapter, I really want to hear from you guys. Although I've already planned out some of the fights, I'm curious as to the matches you want to see. I can already assure you there's more fire v. ice to come and let's not forget Sub v. Noob, but I want to know who you guys want to see beating the crap out of each other. Who knows. You just might get your wish. ;)**

**Until next time,**

**~Torion**


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